In its first Cabinet meeting after reshuffle, the Centre approved the Rs 23,123 crore package allocated for emergency response to Covid-19, with the focus on immediate needs for the next nine months of FY 21-22.
This would include creation of more infrastructure for paediatric care, repurposing of hospital beds for Covid management, strengthening of genome sequencing, augment ICU facilities, installation of more oxygen tanks and creation of buffer stock of essential medicines. Of the total fund outlay, Rs 15,000 crore would be contributed by the Centre and Rs 8,123 crore by the states. This is the second such package approved by the Centre. The first Covid-19 response package was given by the government in April 2020.
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The ‘India Covid-19 Emergency Response & Health System Preparedness Package: Phase-II’ will have two main components – the Central Sector (CS) and Centrally Sponsored Schemes (CSS) components.
The fund will be utilised by the Centre and the state government to provide support to government hospitals, agencies to augment their existing response to the second wave and the evolving pandemic, including at district and sub district levels in peripheral facilities, the government said.
“This will be allocated to the states after consultation with them,” health minister Mansukh Mandaviya said.
Under the central sector component, support would be provided to Central hospitals, including AIIMS, and other institutions for repurposing 6,688 beds for Covid management. Besides, the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) would be strengthened by providing genome sequencing machines, besides sanctioning scientific control room, Epidemic Intelligence Services (EIS) and INSACOG Secretariat support. The fund will also be used for providing support for implementation of Hospital Management Information System (HMIS) in all the district hospitals. “This will be the biggest impetus for implementation of the National Digital Health Mission (NDHM) at the district hospitals,” the government said.