UTILISE ENTIRE NATIONAL CAPACITY FOR VACCINE PRODUCTION: PM MODI

On 17th April, Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a review meeting with top officials, over the COVID-19 situation and the ongoing vaccination exercise in the country. Top officers from various Ministries participated in the meeting that began at 8 PM. The Prime Minister has been holding meetings with Chief Ministers and officials regularly to discuss the situation and take measures to curb the pandemic. Taking stock of the second coronavirus wave in the country, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said there is no substitute for “testing, tracking and treatment” and called for utilisation of “entire national capacity” to ramp up vaccine production. Early testing and proper tracking remain key to reduce mortality. In a review meeting with top officials, according to PM Modi, India defeated the virus in 2020 and it can do it again with the same principles but with faster speed and coordination. Prime Minister reviewed the preparedness of public health response to COVID-19 relating to various aspects such as medicines, oxygen, ventilators, vaccination at a review meet over COVID-19 situation. As per the reports from different states, on the shortage of hospital beds and oxygen cylinders, PM Modi said all necessary measures must be taken to make available the hospital beds for Covid patients and speeding up the installation of approved medical oxygen plants. PM Modi also asked the local administrations to be proactive and sensitive towards people’s concerns. According to him, close coordination with states must be ensured in handling the Covid-19 pandemic. The Prime Minister also directed that additional supply of beds through temporary hospitals and isolation centres should be ensured. PM Modi also spoke about the need to utilize the full potential of India’s pharmaceutical industry to meet the rising demand for various medicines. He reviewed the status of the supply of Remdesivir and other medicines. The Prime Minister was briefed on actions taken to address the issue of availability of Remdesivir. The meeting comes amid a huge surge in Covid-19 cases across the country with reports pouring in from many states about the shortage of hospital facilities and essentials like oxygen supply. The country is currently witnessing a second and more severe wave of pandemic. According to the health ministry, a record single-day rise of 2,34,692 cases and 1,341 fatalities on 17th April have pushed India’s Covid-19 tally to 1,45,26,609 and the death toll due to the viral disease to 1,75,649. India contributed 22.8 percent of the total cases reported worldwide on April 12. According to the health ministry’s data, the number of active coronavirus cases in the country has also surpassed the 16-lakh mark. Registering a steady increase for the 38th day in a row, the tally of active COVID-19 cases has climbed to 16,79,740 in the country, accounting for 11.56% of its total caseload, while the national COVID-19 recovery rate has dropped to 87.23%. The cumulative number of COVID-19 vaccine doses administered in the country has nearly touched 12 crores. Union health minister Dr. Harsh Vardhan also chaired a high-level review meeting with the health ministers of 11 states/UTs to review measures taken by them for prevention, containment, and management of recent surge in Covid-19 cases.