JOIN USPM Narendra Modi calls for scaling up of Covid-19 testing
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday issued directions to scale-up testing for Covid-19 and ensure facilities for regular, speedy and inexpensive tests for all at the earliest.
The directions came at a meeting to review research and vaccine development ecosystem against Covid-19, where the prime minister called for continued vigilance and a high state of preparedness against the pandemic.
“The Prime Minister reiterated the country’s resolve to provide cost-effective, easily available and scalable solutions for testing, vaccine and medication, not only for India but for the entire world,” an official statement said.
Modi also appreciated efforts made by Indian vaccine developers and manufacturers to rise to the Covid-19 challenge and committed to continue government facilitation and support for all such efforts.
The Prime Minister said that regulatory reform is a dynamic process and experts in every current and emerging domain should be used by the regulator proactively, as many new approaches have emerged.
The meeting was attended by Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan, NITI Aayog Member (Health), Principal Scientific Advisor, senior scientists and other officials.
According to the statement, the prime minister directed that both sero-surveys and testing must be scaled up and he said that the facility to get tested regularly, speedily and inexpensively must be available to all at the earliest.