Insta
Centre Approves Covid-19 Emergency Response Package For States And Union Territories
Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.
The Central government has approved a Covid-19 emergency response and health system preparedness package in a bid to strengthen the national and state health systems.
The Centrally funded project will be implemented in three phases -- from January 2020 to March 2024 -- stated a 7 April letter signed by National Health Mission Director Vandana Gurnani. The first phase will be from January 2020 to June 2020.
"The project will be implemented with the objectives of emergency COVID-19 response, strengthening national and state systems, procurement of essential medical equipment and drugs, strengthening of surveillance including setting up of laboratories and bio-security preparedness," the letter addressed to additional chief secretaries, principal secretary and commissioner of state and union territories, stated.
It said the Union Health Ministry is releasing funds to states and UTs under the immediate response for the first phase. The key activities to be implemented under the phase include support for dedicated Covid-19 hospitals, isolation blocks, ICUs with ventilators and oxygen supply in hospitals.
It would include "procurement of Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) and ventilators over and above what is being procured and supplied by the government of India."
The first phase will also include strengthening of identified laboratories, expansion of diagnostics capacities, including procurement of diagnostic equipment, testing kits and other reagents and mobility support for sample transport.
Hospitals, government offices, public utilities and ambulances will also be disinfected under this phase.
Gurnani said that the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has already released the funds under the immediate response of the package for states and UTs under National Health Mission for the implementation of phase 1 up to June 2020.
(This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.)
Support Swarajya's 50 Ground Reports Project & Sponsor A Story
Every general election Swarajya does a 50 ground reports project.
Aimed only at serious readers and those who appreciate the nuances of political undercurrents, the project provides a sense of India's electoral landscape. As you know, these reports are produced after considerable investment of travel, time and effort on the ground.
This time too we've kicked off the project in style and have covered over 30 constituencies already. If you're someone who appreciates such work and have enjoyed our coverage please consider sponsoring a ground report for just Rs 2999 to Rs 19,999 - it goes a long way in helping us produce more quality reportage.
You can also back this project by becoming a subscriber for as little as Rs 999 - so do click on this links and choose a plan that suits you and back us.
Click below to contribute.
Latest
