COVID-19: PM Modi emphasises on door-to-door testing in rural India, localised containment strategies

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday stressed on localised containment strategies in states where Test Positive Rate (TPR) in districts is high and adopt "door to door testing and surveillance in rural India" to contain the spread of Covid-19.

The Prime Minister gave the direction while chairing a high-level meeting to discuss the COVID-19 and vaccination-related situation in the country which is passing through the second wave of the deadly disease. 

"Localised containment strategies are the need of the hour especially for states where TPR in districts is high," said the Prime Minister, instructing that testing needs to be scaled up further, with the use of both RT PCR and Rapid Tests, especially in areas with high test positivity rates.

Modi said that states should be encouraged to report their numbers transparently without any pressure of high numbers showing adversely on their efforts and asked for "augmentation of health care resources in rural areas to focus on door-to-door testing and surveillance".

He also spoke about empowering ASHA and Anganwadi workers with all necessary tools. The Prime Minister asked for guidelines to be made available in easy language along with illustrations for home isolation and treatment in rural areas.

Considering the need for oxygen, Modi directed that a distribution plan for ensuring oxygen supply in rural areas must be worked out, including the provision of oxygen concentrators.

The Prime Minister also stressed the need to provide necessary training to health workers in the operation of equipment like oxygen concentrators, and that there should be a proper power supply to ensure smooth operation of such medical devices.

The Prime Minister took serious note of some reports about ventilators lying unutilised in storage in some states and directed that an immediate audit of installation and operation of ventilators provided by the Central government should be carried out.

He added that refresher training for properly operating ventilators should be provided to health care workers if necessary. Modi assured that India's fight against COVID has been guided throughout by scientists and subject experts and will continue being guided by them.

When officials briefed the Prime Minister about the vaccination process and the state-wise coverage of 45 plus population and the roadmap for future vaccine availability, Modi directed officials to work closely with states to ramp up the speed of vaccination.