<p>The Supreme Court on Saturday set up a 12-member National Task Force (NTF) to facilitate the country's public health response, including on supply of oxygen and essential drugs, to tackle the raging pandemic amid criticism from several quarters over the Centre's handling of the unprecedented crisis.</p>.<p>The Task Force, which has to start working immediately, would continue for a period of six months. The Centre, which agreed to the formation of the panel and suggested names, would have to take decisions based on the recommendations of the Task Force.</p>.<p>A bench of Justices D Y Chandrachud and M R Shah said that the establishment of the Task Force will enable the Union government to have inputs based on specialised domain knowledge, which would go beyond finding ad-hoc solutions to the present problems. </p>.<p>The top court also noted that the future course of the pandemic, a possible third wave, must be taken into consideration at the present time. It asked the Task Force to take up the “pressing issue of determining the modalities for oxygen expeditiously within a week”.</p>.<p><strong>Read | </strong><a href="http://Supreme Court orders audit of oxygen supplies to states Read more at: https://www.deccanherald.com/national/north-and-central/supreme-court-orders-audit-of-oxygen-supplies-to-states-983903.html" target="_blank"><strong>Supreme Court orders audit of oxygen supplies to states</strong></a></p>.<p>"The leading experts in the country shall associate with the work of the Task Force...to facilitate a meeting of minds and the formulation of scientific strategies to deal with an unprecedented human crisis," the bench said.</p>.<p>The court also ordered an oxygen audit in Delhi by forming a panel headed by Dr Randeep Guleria, Director of AIIMS-Delhi, while maintaining that the Centre should continue to supply 700 MT every day to the capital.</p>.<p>It also directed for setting up a sub-group under the Task Force for oxygen audit of each state and Union Territory.</p>.<p>"Estimating projected needs is crucial to ensure that the country remains prepared to meet future eventualities, which will cause a demand for oxygen, medicines, infrastructure, manpower and logistics," the bench said. </p>.<p>The terms of reference of the Task Force include formulation and devising methodology for the allocation of medical oxygen to states and UTs on a scientific, rational and equitable basis, suggest measures for availability of drugs and medicines, augment availability of doctors and staff among others.</p>.<p><strong>The members</strong></p>.<p>Dr Bhabatosh Biswas, Former Vice Chancellor, West Bengal University of Health Sciences, Kolkata;</p>.<p>Dr Devender Singh Rana, Chairperson, Board of Management, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, Delhi</p>.<p>Dr Devi Prasad Shetty, Chairperson and Executive Director, Narayana Healthcare, Bengaluru</p>.<p>Dr Gagandeep Kang, Professor, Christian Medical College, Vellore, Tamil Nadu</p>.<p>Dr JV Peter, Director, Christian Medical College, Vellore, Tamil Nadu</p>.<p>Dr Naresh Trehan, Chairperson and Managing Director, Medanta Hospital and Heart Institute, Gurugram</p>.<p>Dr Rahul Pandit, Director, Critical Care Medicine and ICU, Fortis Hospital, Mulund (Mumbai, Maharashtra) and Kalyan (Maharashtra)</p>.<p>Dr Saumitra Rawat, Chairman & Head, Department of Surgical Gastroenterology and Liver Transplant, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, Delhi</p>.<p>Dr Shiv Kumar Sarin, Senior Professor and Head of Department of Hepatology, Director, Institute of Liver and Biliary Science (ILBS), Delhi</p>.<p>Dr Zarir F Udwadia, Consultant Chest Physician, Hinduja Hospital, Breach Candy Hospital and Parsee General Hospital, Mumbai</p>.<p>Secretary, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India (ex officio member)</p>.<p>Cabinet Secretary or an officer not below rank of Additional Secretary, to the Union government as convenor</p>
<p>The Supreme Court on Saturday set up a 12-member National Task Force (NTF) to facilitate the country's public health response, including on supply of oxygen and essential drugs, to tackle the raging pandemic amid criticism from several quarters over the Centre's handling of the unprecedented crisis.</p>.<p>The Task Force, which has to start working immediately, would continue for a period of six months. The Centre, which agreed to the formation of the panel and suggested names, would have to take decisions based on the recommendations of the Task Force.</p>.<p>A bench of Justices D Y Chandrachud and M R Shah said that the establishment of the Task Force will enable the Union government to have inputs based on specialised domain knowledge, which would go beyond finding ad-hoc solutions to the present problems. </p>.<p>The top court also noted that the future course of the pandemic, a possible third wave, must be taken into consideration at the present time. It asked the Task Force to take up the “pressing issue of determining the modalities for oxygen expeditiously within a week”.</p>.<p><strong>Read | </strong><a href="http://Supreme Court orders audit of oxygen supplies to states Read more at: https://www.deccanherald.com/national/north-and-central/supreme-court-orders-audit-of-oxygen-supplies-to-states-983903.html" target="_blank"><strong>Supreme Court orders audit of oxygen supplies to states</strong></a></p>.<p>"The leading experts in the country shall associate with the work of the Task Force...to facilitate a meeting of minds and the formulation of scientific strategies to deal with an unprecedented human crisis," the bench said.</p>.<p>The court also ordered an oxygen audit in Delhi by forming a panel headed by Dr Randeep Guleria, Director of AIIMS-Delhi, while maintaining that the Centre should continue to supply 700 MT every day to the capital.</p>.<p>It also directed for setting up a sub-group under the Task Force for oxygen audit of each state and Union Territory.</p>.<p>"Estimating projected needs is crucial to ensure that the country remains prepared to meet future eventualities, which will cause a demand for oxygen, medicines, infrastructure, manpower and logistics," the bench said. </p>.<p>The terms of reference of the Task Force include formulation and devising methodology for the allocation of medical oxygen to states and UTs on a scientific, rational and equitable basis, suggest measures for availability of drugs and medicines, augment availability of doctors and staff among others.</p>.<p><strong>The members</strong></p>.<p>Dr Bhabatosh Biswas, Former Vice Chancellor, West Bengal University of Health Sciences, Kolkata;</p>.<p>Dr Devender Singh Rana, Chairperson, Board of Management, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, Delhi</p>.<p>Dr Devi Prasad Shetty, Chairperson and Executive Director, Narayana Healthcare, Bengaluru</p>.<p>Dr Gagandeep Kang, Professor, Christian Medical College, Vellore, Tamil Nadu</p>.<p>Dr JV Peter, Director, Christian Medical College, Vellore, Tamil Nadu</p>.<p>Dr Naresh Trehan, Chairperson and Managing Director, Medanta Hospital and Heart Institute, Gurugram</p>.<p>Dr Rahul Pandit, Director, Critical Care Medicine and ICU, Fortis Hospital, Mulund (Mumbai, Maharashtra) and Kalyan (Maharashtra)</p>.<p>Dr Saumitra Rawat, Chairman & Head, Department of Surgical Gastroenterology and Liver Transplant, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, Delhi</p>.<p>Dr Shiv Kumar Sarin, Senior Professor and Head of Department of Hepatology, Director, Institute of Liver and Biliary Science (ILBS), Delhi</p>.<p>Dr Zarir F Udwadia, Consultant Chest Physician, Hinduja Hospital, Breach Candy Hospital and Parsee General Hospital, Mumbai</p>.<p>Secretary, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India (ex officio member)</p>.<p>Cabinet Secretary or an officer not below rank of Additional Secretary, to the Union government as convenor</p>
