Health Ministry reviews 'India COVID-19 Emergency Response' Phase-II scheme

The Union Health Ministry reviewed preparations under 'India COVID-19 Emergency Response and Health Systems Preparedness Package: Phase II'. On Thursday, July 8, a press release by PIB Delhi listed out details of the ‘India COVID-19 Emergency Response & Health System Preparedness Package: Phase-II’ scheme, approved by the Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The States/UTs have been urged to send their expenditure proposals at the earliest to enable expeditious approval from the Centre.

Central Sector component to have Rs. 15,000 crore share in Health Ministry-reviewed scheme 

The scheme reviewed by the Union Health Ministry is prepared with goals to accelerate health system preparedness for immediate responsiveness for early prevention, detection and management, with the focus on health infrastructure development including Paediatric Care with measurable outcomes. The total implementation cost is deemed to be Rs. 23,123 crore, with the Central Share being Rs. 15,000 crore. The scheme will be implemented from July 1, 2021, to March 31, 2022. The scheme has Central Sector (CS) and Centrally Sponsored Schemes (CSS) components. As per the statement, for the Central Sector,

• There will be support provided to central Hospitals, AIIMS, and other Institutions of National Importance under DoHFW (at VMMC & Safdarjung Hospital, Delhi, LHMC & SSKH, Delhi, RML, Delhi, RIMS, Imphal and NEIGRIMS, Shillong, PGIMER, Chandigarh, JIPMER, Puducherry and AIIMS Delhi (existing AIIMSs) and new AIIMSs under PMSSY) for repurposing 6,688 beds for COVID management. 
• National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) will be strengthened by providing Genome Sequencing machines, besides sanctioning Scientific Control room, Epidemic Intelligence Services (EIS) and INSACOG Secretariat support. 
• There will be support provided for the implementation of the Hospital Management Information System (HMIS) in all the District Hospitals of the Country (presently, it is implemented only in 310 DHs). All district –hospitals would implement HMIS through NIC developed E-Hospital and CDAC developed E-Shushrutsoftwares. This would include the support provided to the District Hospitals towards the augmentation of the hardware capacity.
• Support would also be provided for expanding the National Architecture of eSanjeevani Tele-consultation platform to provide up to 5 lakh teleconsultations per day from the present 50,000 Tele-consultations per day. This includes support to the States/UTs to enable teleconsultations with the COVID patients at the COVID Care Centres (CCCs) by strengthening Hubs for eSanjeevani teleconsultation in all the districts of the country.
• Support would also be provided for IT interventions, including strengthening the Central War room at DoHFW, strengthening Country’s COVID-19 Portal, 1075 COVID helplines and COWIN platform.  

Centrally Sponsored Schemes component to focus on districts and sub-districts

For the Centrally Sponsored Schemes component, the focus is placed on strengthening district and sub-district capacities for a better response to combat COVID-19. The goal is more testing and better response. It also takes into consideration, “Test, Isolate and Treat”. The document states:

• Paediatric units will be created in all 736 districts.
• 20,000 ICU beds will be augmented in the public healthcare system out of which 20% will be Pediatric ICU beds.
• 1050 numbers of Liquid Medical Oxygen Storage Tanks with Medical Gas Pipeline System (MGPS) will be installed, with an aim to support at least one such unit per district.
• 8,800 ambulances will be added.
• Undergraduate and postgraduate medical interns and final year MMBS, BSc, & GNM nursing students will also be engaged for effective COVID-19 management.
• “Test, Isolate and Treat” and following-up COVID Appropriate Behaviour at all the times is the national strategy for effective battle against COVID-19.
• Flexible support will be provided to the Districts for meeting the requirement of essential medicines for COVID-19 management, including the creation of buffer stock.    

(IMAGE: PTI)