New Delhi: The Union Health Ministry asked Monday officials of 45 civic bodies across 38 districts in 10 states to focus on house-to-house surveys. These areas are witnessing a surge in COVID-19 case. The Health Ministry asked them to carry out prompt testing and undertake active surveillance measures. It felt that then infection will be contained.
Union Health Secretary Preeti Sudan along with senior officers of the Health Ministry held a high level review meeting. The meeting was conducted video conference. Those present were district collectors, municipal commissioners and superintendent of district hospitals. Also principals of medical colleges from 45 municipal corporations attended the meeting.
The 38 districts are from the states are Maharashtra, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan, Haryana, Gujarat, Jammu and Kashmir, Karnataka, Uttarakhand and MP.
In view of the easing of lockdown and lifting of curbs, states were advised to make a district-wise prospective plan. This will then be put in use in the coming months,” the Health Ministry said. During the meeting, issues discussed include widespread infection in densely populated urban areas.
“The state officials were advised on the measures to be taken in the containment zones for case management and buffer zones surveillance activities and promotion of COVID appropriate behaviour,” the ministry said.
To reduce the case fatality rate, the officials were briefed on measures that include prioritising high-risk and vulnerable segments like elderly people and people with comorbidities while contact-tracing to prevent deaths. They were also asked to focus on active surveillance measures, adequate testing and promoting health seeking behaviour for timely detection of cases. They were also asked to ensure timely shifting of patients without escalating the symptoms, the ministry said.
In terms of infrastructure and human resource management for containment of COVID-19, the Health Ministry said proper planning for health infrastructure should be taken up, adequate number of surveillance teams should be provided and a system should be put in place for bed availability management.
On field governance, municipal authorities were advised to take leadership and put the entire municipal infrastructure for containment measures using the ‘whole of government approach’. The ministry also highlighted that along with COVID-19 management efforts, care needs to be given to regular and essential health services that are also available for the citizens.
Officials were asked to focus on areas like active house-to-house survey for timely detection, augmentation of the survey teams, efficient ambulance management, efficient triaging of patients at the hospitals and bed management, clinical management of the hospitalised cases through rotational 24×7 teams to ensure reduction in the fatality rates, the ministry said in the statement.
PTI