Lok Sabha Question No. 1076 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2020-09-18
Subject: Handling of Corona Crises
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: Saikia Dilip, Ramesh Chander Kaushik

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1076 TO BE ANSWERED ON 18 TH SEPTEMBER, 2020

## HANDLING OF CORONA C RISES

## 1076. SHRI DILIP SAIKIA: SHRI RAMESH CHANDER KAUSHIK:

Will th e Minister of HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Gov ernment has been able to handle Corona pandemic relatively well;
- (b) if so, the det ails of the efforts made by the Government;
- (c)  whether  the  Gov ernment  is  committed  to  deliver Corona  treatment  to  public  as  early  as possible; and
- (d) if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE (SHRI ASHWINI KUMAR CHOUBEY)

(a) and (b) Government of India has taken a series of actions to prevent, control and mitig impact of COVID - 19. India followed a whole of Government and whole of society approach. Hon'ble Prime Minister, a High level Group of Ministers (GoM), Cabinet Secre tary, Committee of  Secretaries  and  senior  officers  in  MoHFW  continue  to  monitor  public  health  respons COVID - 19 in the country.

The public health actions were taken in a pre -emptive, pro - active, graded manner based on the evolving scenario. A number of travel advisories were issued restricting inflow of internatio travelers, till such time, commercial flights were suspended on 23rd March, 2020. Till total of 14,154 flights with 15,24,266 passengers have been screened at these airports. S ing was also done at 12 major and 65 minor ports and land border crossings. In the initial pa pandemic, India evacuated a large number of stranded passengers from then COVID affect countries (China, Italy, Iran, Japan, Malaysia) and again in the un- lockdown phase, a total of 13,18,891 passengers have been brought back (as on 14th September, 2020) and followed up.

Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP) is conducting contact tracing thro community surveillance. In the earlier part of t he pandemic, this was done for travel related cases and subsequently for cases being reported from community as a part of containment strateg on 14th September 2020, a total of about 40 lakh persons have been kept under surveill

There  are  726  lab oratories conducting COVID - 19  Testing.  India  is  testing  is  about  1  million samples a day. A total of 5.8 crore samples have been tested so far (as on 14th September

States are being supported in terms of supply of logistics. So far 1.41 Crore of P Kits, 3.44 crores N - 95 masks, 10.84 crore tablets of Hydroxychloroquine and 30,663 ventilators a 1,02,400 oxygen cylinders have been supplied to States/UTs/ Central Government hospitals far (as on 14th September, 2020).

Various cadres of personnel an d volunteers across sectors and departments for COVID related works and maintenance of other essential medical services have been worked out, t through resources made available on the website of MoHFW, iGOT (online platform) by DOPT (https://igot.gov .in/igot/).

MoHFW website is being daily to provide general public with information on curre status of COVID - 19 spread in India. Communication material is also being hosted on MoHFW website and through social media. A dedicated call centre / helpline (1 075) has b en started to guide community at large which are being used by the citizens very effectively and on a basis.

More than 30 vaccine candidates have been supported which are in different stage development, 3 candidates are in advanced s tage of Phase I/II/III trials and more than 4 are i advanced pre -clinical development stage. A National Expert Group on Vaccine Administratio for COVID-19 has been constituted on 7th August, 2020, under NITI Ayog. Thirteen clini trials of repurposed d rugs have been undertaken to build a portfolio of therapeutic options Covid- 19 patients.

Due to these concerted efforts, Government of India has been able to restrict the sp COVID - 19  outbreak  in  the  country.  This  is  evident  by  the  fact  that  the cases and deaths per million  population  in  India  is  among  the  lowest  if  one  were  to  compare  between  simi affected countries.

(c) and (d) For appropriate management of COVID - 19 cases, a three tier arrangement of health facilities [(i) COVID Care Center with isolation beds for mild or pre - symptomatic  cases;  (ii) Dedicated COVID Health Centre (DCHC) with oxygen supported isolation beds for moderate cases  and  (iii)  Dedicated  COVID  Hospital  (DCH)  with  ICU  beds  for  severe  cases]  has  be implemented. Tertiar y care hospitals under ESIC, Defence, Railways, paramilitary forces, St Ministry  etc.  have  been  leveraged  for  case  management.  In  addition,  Defence  Research Development Organisation (DRDO) has set up large field hospitals with capacities ranging m 1000 to 10,000 isolation beds.

As on 15 th September, 2020, a total of 15,360 COVID treatment facilities with 13,20,8 dedicated isolation bed without O2 support have been created. Also, a total of 2,32,516 supported isolation beds and 63,194 ICU beds (including 32,409 ventilator beds). Guidelines on Clinical management of COVID - 19 have been issued and are being updated regularly.