Covid-19: States pulled up for not installing ventilators sent by Centre during second wave

The health secretary urged states to maintain an adequate buffer stock of eight critical drugs identified in the clinical treatment of Covid-19

Amidst the ongoing concerns over the Covid-19 Omicron variant, the Union Health Ministry on Thursday pulled up the states for failing to unpack ventilators — that were sent by the Centre during the second wave — for equipping state hospitals.

“Many ventilators supplied by the Centre are still lying unpacked and unused at some field hospitals, with consumables not being procured and made available by the states. This needs to be reviewed immediately,” Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan told the states while reviewing their preparedness.

The health secretary also urged states to maintain an adequate buffer stock of eight critical drugs identified in the clinical treatment of Covid-19. The guidelines for these were shared with states in July 2021.

On health infrastructure, Bhusan asked the states to immediately ensure that all PSA oxygen plants, oxygen concentrators and ventilators are installed and functioning.

Also Read — Why Covid patients require prolonged ventilation

Keeping the winter season in mind, they were advised to closely monitor the prevalence of influenza-like illness, severe acute respiratory infection and respiratory distress symptoms.

States and Union Territories were urged to enhance testing and focus on surveillance to ensure early identification of suspected cases for their prompt isolation and further clinical management.

The districts reporting higher case positivity were alerted to monitor the case trajectory on a regular basis, and to promptly dispatch positive samples to the mapped INSACOG (Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium) labs for whole-genome sequencing. Close monitoring of new emerging hotspots/clusters, breakthrough and re-infection cases, and prompt investigation of such events by the Rapid Response Teams was also stressed upon.

India has so far vaccinated more than 50 per cent of its 94.47 crore adult population with two doses of Covid-19 vaccines, whereas 85 per cent of the adults have received a single dose. Notwithstanding the vaccines, the experts have advised continued mask discipline, Covid-appropriate behaviour and avoiding crowds to reduce the chances of a third wave.

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