The whole world has been battling the coronavirus pandemic since last year. India has been one the worst affected countries by the virus. The second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic had wreaked havoc across the country bringing the entire healthcare system to its knees.
The central government has also been serious about the virus from the very beginning. Now that there has been a slight decline in the covid cases across the country, the centre wants that all the states should take measures that will help to curb the spread of the virus. Keeping this in mind, the Central Government has issued guidelines to the State Governments.
On July 9, the central government announced a Covid package of Rs 23,000 crore. This package is to be used in one year. It has to be finished in a year. According to the guidelines of the Center, with this grant, the states are being given help to save people from corona at the district level. State governments will have to inform the Center by preparing complete details of what steps the state government is taking against Covid.
20 percent beds will be reserved for children
In the initial days of Covid, there was a lot of difficulties regarding basic health systems. People were facing problems with non availability of ambulances. Now the government has also paid attention to this. The center said that there will be an ambulance in every block and its fare will be given by the center. Buffer stock of medicine will have to be kept in every district. PFA, oxygen concentrator will also have to be kept in sufficient quantity. There should be 1 lakh concentrators, 20 percent Covid beds will be reserved for children in hospitals.
Rs 1,887.80 crore advance to the states
50% advance of the Centre's share has been given to the states. On August 13,7500 crore was released. The Central and State Governments have to bear the expenditure in the ratio of 60:40. Sharing will be in the ratio of 90:10 in the North East. Earlier on July 22, the government had given an advance of Rs 1887.80 crore to the states.
The Center has issued guidelines to the states to stop the spread of covid at the district level. Sources reveal that the biggest problem of logistics was the lack of oxygen during the second wave. Now if there is a possible third wave of corona in future, then 375 plants have been set up across the country so that there is no shortage of oxygen in such a situation. 500 are in the advanced stage while a total of 1755 plants are to be set up. If sources are to be believed, the vaccine for children above the age of 12 are with the Drugs Controller, as soon as it gets approval, vaccination of children will begin.