Mansukh Mandaviya to hold high-level review meeting on COVID-19 with southern states/UT's today: Sources

Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya will be holding a high-level meeting on COVID-19 on Friday through video conferencing.

The meeting will be held to review the COVID-19 situation and public health preparedness and response measures being taken in the context of the Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2 with Health Ministers of Southern States/UT's Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Telangana, Lakshadweep, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and Andaman and Nicobar Island, official sources told ANI.

The meeting will also be attended by Senior health officials also.

Earlier he held a high-level meeting with nine northern states/UTs and advised them to send Covid testing and vaccination data timely. He also suggested that testing should be ramped up in the states where it has gone down.

He also advised states and UTs to ensure that those in home isolation should be efficiently monitored in line with the National Guidelines.

He had said, "This will ensure that the vulnerable categories of active cases in home isolation get the required medical help in a timely manner."

The Union Health Minister re-emphasized the need for ramping up testing in the states and UTs. Those states/UTs that are showing a lower share of RTPCR testing were requested to ramp up tests through RTPCR. States and UTs were also reminded to keep a close watch on the emerging clusters and hotspots and monitor the trend of hospitalized cases along with the deaths in the state.

Mandaviya said that with our past experience, 'Test-Track-Treat-Vaccinate & Adherence to COVID Appropriate Behaviour' along with monitoring of cases remains crucial for COVID management.

The Union Health Minister also urged the States and UTs to adopt the hub and spoke model for teleconsultation.

According to the Union Health Ministry, Mandaviya urged the States and UTs to adopt the hub and spoke model and ensure that more and more centers of teleconsultation are opened. This will enable beneficiaries to access expert advice from experts stationed at the district hubs.

He also said that e-Sanjeevani has been able to provide services to more than 2.6 crore beneficiaries where people can seek medical advice from the confines of their homes.

"This will prove to be a game-changer and will be of immense value and importance for the hard-to-reach and far-flung areas, and especially in the northern regions in the current winter season," said Mandaviya.

Mansukh Mandaviya also urged the 9 States and UTs to review and expedite the implementation of activities under the ECRP-II package for strengthening the health infrastructure. He said, "Health Ministers and the State authorities to plug the existing gaps by efficiently utilizing the amount sanctioned for various infra projects. With strengthened health infrastructure, we can meet any health emergency and public health crisis with better preparedness."

( With inputs from ANI )

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