Mandaviya reviews public health preparedness for management of heat-related illnesses
The Union Health Minister also advised senior officials to meet with states for better coordination and understanding.
Amid reports of a sudden surge in the coronavirus cases in many parts of the world, Union Health Minister, Mansukh Mandaviya, on Wednesday said COVID is not over yet and that country is fully prepared to deal with the rerun of the pandemic.
Mandaviya, who reviewed the preparedness to counter the growing menace, asked the Health Ministry officials to strengthen the surveillance system across the country.
“COVID is not over yet. I have directed all concerned to be alert and strengthen surveillance. We are prepared to manage any situation.” This was what he tweeted after the meeting with Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, Bharati Pravin Pawar, Health Ministry officials, Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), Director General, Rajiv Bahl, Member (Health) of NITI Aayog, V K Paul and National Technical Advisory Group on Immunization (NTAGI), Chairman, N L Arora, Secretary in Department of biotechnology, Dr Rajesh Gokhale.
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According to NITI Aayog Member for Health, Dr VK Paul, only 27-28 per cent of people have taken dose. We appeal to others, especially senior citizens, to take precaution dose. Precaution dose is mandated and guided to everyone.”
Paul urged the people to use mask in crowded spaces, indoors or outdoors. “This is all the more important for people with comorbidities or are of higher age.”
Union Health Secretary, Rajesh Bhushan, in a letter to States and Union Territories said that in view of the sudden spurt of cases being witnessed in Japan, USA, Korea, Brazil and China, it is essential to gear up whole genome sequencing of positive case samples to track variants through the Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium (INSACOG) network.
Meanwhile, the Health Ministry has already issued “Operational Guidelines for Revised Surveillance Strategy in context of COVID-19” in June 2022 which calls for early detection, isolation, testing and timely management of suspected and confirmed cases to detect and contain outbreaks of new SARS-CoV-2 variants.
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