Amid Covid-19 surge, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya to hold review meet with 5 states today

Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya will virtually review the COVID-19 situation, public health preparedness as well as response measures being taken in the context of the Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2 in Bihar, Odisha, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Chhattisgarh today at 3 pm.

Earlier on Friday, Mandaviya conducted a high-level meeting with Southern states and UTs Health Ministers and stressed upon e-Sanjeevani, teleconsultation, Monitoring home isolation, and increasing RTPCR in states which are reporting lower percentage testing.

The State Health Ministers who joined the high-level review meeting included Dr K Sudhakar (Karnataka), Dr Veena George (Kerala), Ma Subramaniam (Tamil Nadu), and Thanneeru Harish Rao (Telangana). He also requested the states to accelerate the pace of vaccination of the 15-17 years age group and those whose second dose is due.

Earlier, he conducted a high-level meeting with nine Northern States and UTs and advised them to send Covid testing and vaccination data timely. The Union Health Minister also said that testing should be ramped up in the States where it has gone down. He also advised states and UTs to ensure that those in home isolation are efficiently monitored in line with the National Guidelines.

The Union Health Minister also urged the States and UTs to adopt the hub and spoke model for teleconsultation. Mandaviya also urged the nine States and UTs to review and expedite the implementation of activities under the India Covid-19 Emergency Response and Health System Preparedness Package: Phase-II (ECRP-II package) for strengthening the health infrastructure, an amount of Rs 23,123 Crores which was approved by Union Cabinet given the second wave of the pandemic.

"Health Ministers and the State authorities to plug the existing gaps by efficiently utilising the amount sanctioned for various infra projects. With strengthened health infrastructure, we can meet any health emergency and public health crisis with better preparedness," he added.