Containing Covid: Health Ministry constitutes high-level teams to coordinate with states

High-level teams have been constituted to coordinate with states on "containment plan, hospital preparedness and ventilator management" in the wake of coronavirus crisis, Lav Aggarwal, Joint Secretary, Health Ministry said on Thursday.

"The Health Ministry has constituted high-level teams which will coordinate with states on containment plan, hospital preparedness and ventilator management. 10 teams have been sent to Bihar, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Telangana, Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh," Aggarwal said in a press conference here.

Aggarwal said that two labs of CSIR- Centre For Cellular And Molecular Biology and Institute of Genomics & Integrative Biology (IGIB) have started working on whole genome sequencing of novel coronavirus, to understand the evolution of COVID-2019 virus.

He said that Indian railways are converting 5,000 coaches into isolation units, of which 3,250 have been converted in order to prepare 80,000 isolation beds,

"Railways have deployed more than 2,500 doctors and 35,000 paramedics' staff. Their chain of 586 health units, 45 sub-divisional hospitals,56 divisional hospitals,8 production unit hospitals and16 zonal hospitals are dedicating their significant facilities to fight COVID-19," he said

The secretary said that 13,000 needy families are being given the help of Rs 64 Lakhs under 'Adopt a Family' campaign in Haryana's Karnal.

He said that a group of ministers including Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan discussed the strategy regarding labs and on increasing lab samples in hot spots and clusters.

"Supply of PPE, N95Masks and ventilators has also been discussed in the Group of Ministers meeting. The Group of Ministers noted that it is necessary that our healthcare professionals who are serving us like warriors receive the full support of the community," he said.

Aggarwal said that twenty domestic manufacturers in India have been developed for production of Personal Protection Equipment (PPEs) and orders for 1.7 crore PPEs have been placed.

"Supplies of PPEs, masks, and ventilators have now begun. 20 domestic manufacturers in India have been developed for PPEs, orders for 1.7 crore PPEs have been placed and the supplies have begun. 49,000 ventilators have been ordered," he said.

"There is a fear among people that everyone needs PPEs. Everyone does not need PPEs. We have issued guidelines earlier. PPEs are not the only coverall. It is a mix of different components like boots, N95 masks, coverall, and headgear. All components are used by people who are at high risk. In case of moderate risk, N95 masks and gloves are sufficient. Sufficient quantity of PPEs is being provided to state governments," he said.

"There was a problem about PPEs in the beginning. In a span of two months, we have matured domestic manufactures. They have started giving supplies," he further said.