Lok Sabha Question No. 816 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-02-05
Subject: Preparations to deal with COVID-19
Ministry: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Asked by: Mohan Mandavi, Chunni Lal Sahu

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY DEPARTMENT OF SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 816 ANSWERED ON 05.02.2021

## Preparations to deal with COVID-19

816.     SHRI MOHAN MANDAVI:

## SHRI CHUNNI LAL SAHU:

Will  the  Minister  of  SCIENCE  AND TECHNOLOGY वान और ौयोगक मंी be pleased to state:

- (a)       the details of preparations made and steps taken by his Ministry to deal with COVID-19 pandemic;
- (b) the steps taken by the Government to aid healthcare professionals/workers deployed in the fight against COVID-19 pandemic?

## A N S W E R

## MINISTER OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE; MINISTER OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY; AND MINISTER OF EARTH SCIENCES (DR. HARSH VARDHAN)

वाय और परवार कयाण मंी , वान और ौयोगक मंी और पृवी वान मंी ( डॉ . हषवधन )

- (a) The Department of Science and Technology (DST) and its various Autonomous Institutions made some sincere efforts to address R&D and innovation related  challenges  arising  out  of  COVID-19  pandemic.  A  mapping  of  startup ecosystem was done to identify and support relevant technology solutions ready for scaleup.  Several  calls  through  DST,  Science  &  Engineering  Research  Board (SERB),  Technology  Development  Board  (TDB),  Indo-US  S&T  Forum  (IUSSTF) were made inviting research proposals on COVID-19 related challenges. A National Super  Model  was  formulated  to  predict  the  spread  of  the  pandemic.  Some  major breakthroughs came out from DST initiatives like Centre for Augmenting War with COVID-19 (CAWACH) and Science and Society programme. Further, Subordinate Offices/Autonomous  institutes  under  DST,  like  Sree  Chitra  Tirunal  Institute  of Medical Science and Technology, Survey of India, Technology Information Forecasting and Assessment Council (TIFAC) and others, contributed significantly in the fields of diagnostic kits, hospital devices, Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), masks and other technology solutions to reduce the menace of COVID pandemic.

Department  of  Biotechnology  (DBT),  initiated  an  integrated  response  to overcome the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic. The DBT-BIRAC (Biotechnology Industry  Research  Assistance  council)  COVID-19  research  Consortium  call  was issued, whereby, more than 100 projects for development of vaccines, diagnostics and therapeutics are being supported. 'Mission COVID  Suraksha' is being implemented to accelerate  the  indigenous COVID-19  vaccine development efforts. Nearly 15 vaccine candidates are being supported of which 3 vaccine candidates are in  clinical  trial  stage  and  about  2  vaccine  candidates  are  in  advanced  pre-clinical developmental stage.

Several  indigenous  diagnostics  kits  have  been  developed.  PAN-India  1000 SARS-CoV-2 genome sequencing was successfully completed. The Indian SARSCoV-2 Genomic Consortium (INSACOG) has been launched, to ascertain the status of  new  variants  of  SARS-CoV-2  in  the  country.  DBT  is  working  closely  with  the Ministry  of  External  Affairs  for  advancing  vaccine  development  and  conducting training  programme  to  strengthen  clinical  trial  capacity  activities  in  neighboring countries.

Council  of  Scientific  &  Industrial  Research  (CSIR)  has  responded  to  the situation  with  a  well-coordinated  and  integrated  approach  in  cooperation  with  all relevant stakeholders. CSIR is extending all possible R&D support to industry and is also  aligned  to  the  Government's  strategy  of  mitigation  of  outbreak.  CSIR  has developed more than 100 technologies under five technology verticals viz.,  Digital and Molecular Surveillance; Rapid and Economical Diagnosis; Development of new drugs/repurposing of drugs; Hospital Assistive Devices and PPEs and Supply chain and logistics and is working with about 100 industries. Six CSIR labs are working on sequencing of coronavirus to know if any genetic changes are occurring in the virus while  it  is  spreading  in  the  country.  Thirteen  CSIR  labs  are  engaged  in  corona diagnostic  testing.  CSIR  Labs  have  developed  several  rapid  diagnostic  kits,  drug formulations like Favipiravir,  Remdesivir, Arbidol, for synthesis and repurposing for COVID.

(b)        Ministry  of  Health  and  Family  Welfare  (MoHF&W)  provided  guidelines  on Infection Prevention and Control practices to the State Governments to minimize the risk of infection to healthcare workers. Training on Infection Prevention and Control was also provided to all categories of healthcare workers on the iGoT platform.

An advisory for  managing health  care workers  working in  COVID  and  NonCOVID areas of the hospital was issued by the Ministry. MoHF&W in consultation with Department  of  Personnel  and  Training  (DoPT)  has  also  directed State Governments  to  consider  quarantine  period  of  healthcare  workers  as  'on  duty'.  A direction  was  issued  to  the  Chief  Secretaries  of  the  States/Union  Territories  on provision for accommodation facilities for quarantine of healthcare workers. Guidelines on rational use of  PPEs for  hospital  and  community  settings  (including front  line  workers)  were  issued.  An  advisory  was  issued  for  providing  hydroxychloroquine  for  prophylaxis  and  prevention  of  infection  to  the  healthcare  workers. States have been supported in terms of supply of logistics.  An order was issued for timely  payment  of  salary  to  health  workers  and  doctors  along  with  additional incentives.

The Epidemic Diseases (Amendment) Ordinance, 2020 was promulgated on 22 nd April 2020 that provides for safety and security of Health care Service Personnel (HSPs)  from  acts  of  violence.  Life  insurance  benefits  have  been  extended  to  all healthcare  workers,  under  the  'Pradhan  Mantri  Garib  Kalyan  Package  Insurance Scheme for Health Workers Fighting COVID-19'.

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