New Delhi: In his first cabinet meeting after a reshuffle, the center approved the 23,123 Crore RS package allocated for emergency response to Covid-19, focusing on the urgent need for the next nine months 21-22.
This will include the creation of more infrastructure for child care, repurposing hospital beds for Covid management, strengthening sequencing genomes, adding ICU facilities, installation of more oxygen tanks and stock creation of essential drug buffers.
Of the total expenditure of funds, the RS 15,000 Crore will be contributed by the Center and Rs 8,123 Crore by countries.
This is the second package approved by the center.
The first Covid-19 response package was provided by the government in April 2020.
Emergency System Preparedness Package & Indian Health System Covid-19: Phase-II ‘will have two main components – central sectors (CS) and centrally sponsored schemes of components (CSS) , The fund will be used by the Center and the State Government to provide support for government hospitals, institutions to increase their existing response to the second wave and developing pandemics, including at the district and sub-district levels in peripheral facilities, the government said.
“This will be allocated to the state after consulting with them,” said Minister of Health Mansukh Mandaviya.
Under the component of the sector center, support will be given to the central hospital, including AIIM, and other institutions to return 6,688 beds for Covid management.
In addition, the National Disease Control Center (NCDC) will be strengthened by providing genome sequencing machines, in addition to scientific control room sanctions, epidemic intelligence services (EIS) and the support of the Insacog Secretariat.
This fund will also be used to provide support for the implementation of the Hospital Management Information System (HMIS) in all district hospitals.
“This will be the biggest boost for the implementation of the National Digital Health Mission (NDHM) at the District Hospital,” said the government.
The central component will also be used to expand tele-consulting services up to 5 lakh per day from 50,000 today, and intervention and support, including Cowin.
Under centralized sponsored schemes, efforts will be aimed at strengthening the capacity of districts and sub-districts for effective and rapid responses to pandemics, the government said.
CSS components of funds will be used to support the state and UTS to create a pediatric unit in all 736 districts and also, to establish a center of pediatric excellence in each state and UT.
It also aims to add 20,000 ICU beds in a public health care system where 20% will be a pediatric ICU bed.
The fund will also be used to add more beds in the existing community, the primary and secondary health center to ensure closer to community care because of the entry of Covid-19 in rural areas, peri-urban and tribal.
While this will be six to 20 units of sleep, support will also be given to establish a larger field hospital (unit 50-100 units) depending on the needs of the cities and Tier-II or Tier-III districts.
The government also plans to add an ambulance to existing and add 8,800 ambulances under the package.