PMO reviews efforts to check coronavirus spread

The production of personal protective equipment (PPE) is being ramped up, a meeting held by the Prime Minister's Office to review the efforts to tackle the spread of coronavirus was informed on Friday.

Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister P K Mishra chaired the meeting of the empowered groups of officers set up to tackle the challenges arising out of COVID-19.

The meeting reviewed and expressed satisfaction on the detailed testing protocol and procedure, under which 1,45,916 samples have been tested across the country till date.

According to an official statement, the production of PPE is being ramped up and capacity building for healthcare personnel is being ensured.

NGOs and civil society groups are also being mobilised, the meeting was informed.

Mishra suggested that coordination with NGOs at the district level be done to avoid overlaps and ensure an efficacious utilisation of resources.

The progress of the welfare measures rolled out through the economic relief package under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana was also reviewed, the statement said.

Mishra underlined that data sanctity is important to ensure that the benefits of the welfare measures reach all the beneficiaries.

On March 29, the government had constituted 11 empowered groups to suggest measures to ramp up the healthcare infrastructure, put the country's economy back on track and reduce the miseries of people as quickly as possible in the wake of the 21-day nationwide lockdown imposed to curb the spread of coronavirus.