Hold mock drills at health facilities: Govt to states as Covid-19 cases rise

To ensure the readiness of the COVID19 health facilities to meet the increase in clinical care needs due to any spurt in cases the Union health ministry has asked the states and Union territories to hold mock drills at all health facilities on TuesdayIn view of a surge in the Covid trajectory in many countries it is necessary that the requisite public health measures are put in place in all the states to meet any exigencies Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan said in a letter to the states on SaturdayThe preparedness of the Covid health facilities is crucial to ensure that all the districts are in a state of readiness to meet the increase in clinical care needs due to any spurt in cases Bhushan saidIt has therefore been decided to hold mock drill at all health facilities including identified COVID dedicated health facilities across the country on Tuesday 27th December he said in the letterAlso Read RTPCR test mandatory for arrivals from China four other countries Union Health Minister Mansukh MandaviyaThe objective of this exercise is to ensure operational readiness of these health facilities for management of COVID19 the health secretary addedThe focus during the exercise shall be on parameters such as geographically representative availability of health facilities covering all districts bed capacities isolation beds oxygensupported isolation beds ICU beds and ventilatorsupported beds and an optimal availability of doctors nurses paramedics AYUSH doctors and other frontline workers such as ASHA workers and anganwadi workersIt will also focus on the human resource capacity in terms of the number of healthcare professionals trained in Covid management healthcare professionals trained in the ventilatory management protocol for severe cases healthcare workers trained in the operation of PSA plants etc and the availability of Advanced and Basic Life Support ALSBLS ambulances other ambulances under the PPP mode or with NGOs and the availability of a functional ambulance call centreIt will also focus on the number and capacities of the Covidtesting laboratories availability of RTPCR and RAT kits availability of testing equipment and reagents and availability of essential drugs ventilators BIPAP SPO systems PPE kits N95 masks medical oxygen oxygen concentrators oxygen cylinders PSA plants liquid medical oxygen storage tanks the medical gas pipeline system etcThe exercise will also focus on the availability of telemedicine servicesThe Mock Drill may be done under the overall guidance of respective district collectorsdistrict magistrates in close consultation with officers of the Health Department of the state and UT the letter saidIt is expected the District Surveillance Officer DSO working in coordination with CMHOS under IDSP shall upload facility wise data for all districts positively by evening of Tuesday December 27 it addedBhushan further said the followup on any gap assessment shall be required to be undertaken by the additional chief secretary the principal secretary the secretary health or the MDNHM of the states who will also be required to monitor the exercise personally under the overall guidance of the health ministers of the respective states