Lok Sabha Question No. 2258 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2020-09-23
Subject: Discharge of Information during COVID-19
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: P.P. Chaudhary, Kaushal Kishore, Raksha Nikhil Khadse, Devji Mansingram Patel

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

LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUE STION NO. 2258 TO BE ANSWERED ON 23 RD SEPTEMBER, 2020

## DISCHARGE OF INFORMA TION DURING COVID - 19

## 2258. SHRI P.P. CHAUDHARY:

SHRI KAUSHAL KISHORE:

SHRIMATI RAKSHA NIKH IL KHADSE:

SHRI DEVJI M. PATEL:

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

- (a) whether the Government has devised any strategy for discharge of information including data release during the COVID - 19 pandemic throughout the country;
- (b) if so, the details thereof along with expenditure incurred thereon;
- (c) whether the Government has engaged Non -Governmental Organisations to spread awareness aboutCOVID - 19 and if so, the details thereof;
- (d)whether the Government has taken note of the spread of COVID - 19 infection at a faster rate on  accountof  irresponsible  behavior  of  social  elements  by  spreading false  information  on COVID - 19 medication resulting in delayed medical help; and
- (d) if so, the d etails thereof  and steps/initiatives taken by the Government for debunking the misinformation related to COVID - 19 including strict action against the concerned persons in this regard?

## ANSWER

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

(a) and (b): M inistry of Health & Family Welfare devised a strategy for collection, collation analysis of data and dissemination of information of COVID - 19 outbreak in India. The single source  of  truth  was  the  information  collected  from  COVID - 19  testing  laboratories  by  Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR). A COVID portal was created wherein the states/district feed  their  data  on  active/confirmed/recovered  cases  &  deaths,  testing,  availability  of treatment  facilities,  details  on  containment  zones  and  logistics  (such  as  Personal Protective Equipment, ventilators, hydroxychloroquine, testing kits and reagents etc.)

The  system  provided  for  analysis  of  growth  rate,  fatality  rate,  tests  per  m confirmation percentage up to district level. It also provides for National/State le vel dashboards that can be accessed by all States and districts.

The data on certain parameters are also made available daily on the website of Min of Health & Family Welfare. In addition, MoHFW disseminates the information through pre briefings, p ress releases, and social media handles.

The  software  was  developed  by  in - house  IT  professional    and  National  Informatics Center.

(c): NITI Aayog  engage d the  Civil  Society  Organi zations, Industry Associations, UN Agencies and  other  development  partners t o  create  community  awareness  on  COVID .  NITI Aayog is maintaining NGO Darpan Portal on which about 92,000 NGOs were registered during the country -wide lockdown period to ease the problems of the people. NITI Aayog invited all the NGOs registered on Darpan Portal to partner with District and State Administrations to cre awareness about COVID - 19 and also help the people who are in need of food, shelter, mask sanitizers, PPE kits etc.

(d) and (e)  Government has taken note of spread of fake news and pan ic created by such news. M inistry for Home Affairs (MHA) , Government of India has written to all States/UTs to take effective measures to check circulation of f akenews.

Ministry of Information and Broadcasting , Government of India hascreated a web - porta l and a dedicated fact check unit where people can verify facts and unverified news promptl portal is being utilized to counter fake news and provide authentic and real time information on C OVID - 19 for the benefits o fall .

States and Union Territori es have also been requested to create a similar mechanism at State/UT level for issues related to the States.