Rise in COVID cases | Government planning nationwide mock drill to take stock of hospital preparedness on April 10, 11
The Hindu
Amid rising cases of COVID-19 and seasonal influenza, the government is planning a nationwide mock drill on April 10 and 11 to take stock of hospital preparedness. According to a joint advisory issued by the Union Health Ministry and the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) on March 25, both public and private health facilities in all the districts are expected to participate in the exercise aimed at taking stock of availability of medicines, hospital beds, medical equipment and medical oxygen.
Amid rising cases of COVID-19 and seasonal influenza, the government is planning a nationwide mock drill on April 10 and 11 to take stock of hospital preparedness.
According to a joint advisory issued by the Union Health Ministry and the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) on March 25, both public and private health facilities in all the districts are expected to participate in the exercise aimed at taking stock of availability of medicines, hospital beds, medical equipment and medical oxygen.
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“The exact details of the mock drill shall be communicated to the States in the virtual meeting scheduled on March 27,” the advisory stated.
The joint advisory highlighted that in the past several weeks, COVID-19 testing has declined in some States and the current testing levels are insufficient as compared to the standards prescribed by the World Health Organization (WHO), i.e 140 tests per million.
Testing at the levels of districts and blocks also varies, with some States heavily relying on the less sensitive rapid antigen tests. "Hence it is critical to maintain optimum testing for COVID-19, equitably distributed (with suitable modifications to address emergence of new cluster of Covid cases) across the States. This is especially important to identify any emerging hotspots and take pre-emptive steps to curb virus transmission," it stated.
The joint advisory is in continuation of the Union Health Ministry's earlier communications dated March 10 and 16 on the issue of seasonal circulation of pan-respiratory pathogens in the country as well as public health response to COVID-19 in States and Union Territories.
In 2021, five women from Mayithara, four of them MGNREGA (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act) workers, found a common ground in their desire to create a sustainable livelihood by growing vegetables. Rajamma M., Mary Varkey, Valsala L., Elisho S., and Praseeda Sumesh, aged between 70 and 39, pooled their savings, rented a piece of land and began their collective vegetable farming journey under the Deepam Krishi group.