Health minister

Harsh Vardhan

tells

TOI

the government has worked with ‘speed, scale and determination coupled with best practices’ to respond to the threat posed by Covid-19. Excerpts from an interview to

Sushmi Dey

:

What measures are being taken to prevent an outbreak of

?

Is there enough facility for treatment and to quarantine suspected cases?

How many additional beds have been set aside for Covid-19 patients?

What is being done to prevent shortage of critical preventive items like masks, sanitisers?

What is the status of availability of medicines in view of fears of a shortage of API supplies from China?

How are you ensuring awareness among people about coronavirus, particularly in rural areas?

How is the Centre coordinating with states on containing Covid-19?

Do we have enough testing facilities for disease?

Is there any plan to get on board the paramilitary and the Army to combat the spread of the virus?

More on Covid-19

We took a comprehensive and coordinated approach to engage the entire GoI machinery in containing the situation. With the PM setting out the approach, we have worked at jet pace and in mission mode as far as our preparedness levels are concerned. We are taking a number of measures to ensure the impact from imported cases is controlled and, at the same time, the localised spread is restricted.Firstly, we are focusing on comprehensive sanitisation at entry points like airports, seaports and border crossings. Since March 4, 2020, we have undertaken universal screening for all international passengers coming to India. Teams of specialist doctors have been stationed at all airports to ensure effective screening and arrangement for isolation in attached hospitals. Screening of passengers has also been initiated at 12 major sea ports and 65 non-major ports to identify passengers and crew coming from China and to isolate if found symptomatic.Government has initiated screening at all integrated check posts with bordering countries in collaboration with states of UP, Uttarakhand, West Bengal, Sikkim and Bihar as well as Sashastra Seema Bal and Land Port Authorities.We are using stringent 'contact surveillance' for cases having travel history from all major Covid-19 affected countries. Through the Integrated Disease Surveillance network, all such persons were tracked and as on March 13, 2020, a total of 42,000 individuals were brought under 'community surveillance' and state and district surveillance officers and rapid response teams are monitoring them daily.On receipt of requests from around 11 countries - Maldives, Myanmar, Bangladesh, China, South Africa, USA, Sri Lanka, Nepal, South Africa, Peru and Madagascar - we brought back 43 foreign nationals from Wuhan and five from Japan.We focused on identifying gaps and building capacity of our health response system. We have done a massive capacity building exercise in the last 55 days in epidemiology, surveillance, laboratory support, clinical management, non-pharmaceutical interventions, infection prevention and risk communication. We are countering misinformation campaigns and rumours on social media and other platforms. So far, around 25,000 calls (011-23978046) have been attended including around 981 international calls.States and central government hospitals have been advised for assessment of isolation and critical care facilities. Sufficient isolation beds and supplies have been made available in tertiary facilities across India. I have also held meetings with leading private hospitals and they have all assured all support. Nearly 14,000 quarantine beds have been identified so far and more are being identified.As on date, around 17,500 beds are available at various government facilities at central and state government level. Additional facilities will be made available as and when required.We have asked leading manufacturers of masks, personal equipment to share details of production capacities, stocks in hand. Details of all manufacturers have been shared with principal secretaries of all states and UTs to enable them to contact suppliers and undertake procurement. Sufficient supplies are available to handle any situation that might arise.We have stocks of medicines varying from four months to nine months depending on the medicine. We are given to understand that China has restarted its plants and started supply of medicines from second week of February 2020 from all their provinces except Hubei.We have sent 117.2 crore SMS's. Dos and Don'ts are being played on every mobile call. Ads have been issued in 156 newspapers. MyGov weekly mailers have been sent to 70 lakh users and push notifications have been sent to another 20 lakh users. We have also asked for display of dos and don'ts at post offices, railway stations, airports, other public places.In rural areas, we have adopted a two-pronged strategy. Eight central teams have been deputed to the rural areas adjoining our international borders in UP, Uttarakhand, West Bengal, Sikkim and Bihar to review activities at the border crossings, conduct gram sabhas and facilitate awareness and risk communication to the communities. Elsewhere we have sought support of the ministry of panchayati raj to facilitate awareness generation. We are also utilising the network of National Disaster Management Authority to spread awareness.We are regularly reviewing the emerging situation and preparedness with the states and UTs. Along with Union health secretary, I have been organising regular meetings with state/UT health ministers, health secretaries and other senior officials. On Holi (March 10) I had called up health ministers of coronavirus-affected states to get feedback about the condition of patients and problems being faced in availability of required supplies of personal protective equipment, masks and capacity building of health workers.NIV, Pune is the nodal laboratory. As part of Indian Council of Medical Research's preparedness for emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases, NIV has established capacity for molecular diagnosis of Covid-19. Next generation sequencing has also been established. The facility for collection and testing of clinical samples has been established in 52 labs. 57 labs have been identified as sample collection centres. The network is being further expanded.At the highest level, PM Modi is reviewing the situation on regular basis with representatives of all central ministries.