Lok Sabha Question No. 2151 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-12-10
Subject: Third Wave of Pandemic
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: A. Ganeshamurthi, Anumula Revanth Reddy, Locket Chatterjee

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2151 TO BE ANSWERED ON 10.12.2021

## THIRD WAVE OF PANDEMIC

## 2151: SHRI A. GANESHAMURTHI: SHRI ANUMULA REVANTH REDDY: MS. LOCKET CHATTERJEE:

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

- (a) whether the Government has undertaken any study with experts to minimise the threat and likelihood of third wave of pandemic, if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether the Government has strengthened the health infrastructure and expanded the same to meet  the  challenge  of  the  possible  third  wave  of  the  pandemic  throughout  the  country, including oxygen cylinders, medicines and other equipments;
- (c) whether the vaccination drive is going as per the schedule and the affidavit given to the Apex Court;
- (d) whether the Government has received any proposal from the State Government of Telangana with regard to management of the possible next wave of COVID-19 along with the request of funds for developing medical infrastructure in the State; and
- (e) if so, the details thereof and the action thereon including the amount provided as on date?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR HEALTH & FAMILY WELFARE (DR BHARATI PRAVIN PAWAR)

(a)  to  (e)  Presently,  as  reported  by  States  a  declining  trend  in  COVID-19  cases  and  deaths  is noted since last few months. However, as the causative virus is continuously evolving, the same may  have  an  impact  on  COVID-19  transmission  and  surge  in  cases  cannot  be  ruled  out. Accordingly, Union Ministry of continues to keep a close watch over COVID-19 situation in the country and globally. States/UTs have been urged repeatedly through formal communications as

well  as  during  regular  video  conferences  to  continue  focus  on  five-fold  strategy  of  test-tracktreat-COVID appropriate behaviors and vaccination.

Health is a state subject. Government of India is supporting states in their endeavor to manage COVID-19  since  the  beginning  of  pandemic.  Requisite  support  is  provided  to  States/UTs  to enhance  preparedness  and  response  capacities  against  COVID-19  and  other  public  health emergencies. Various initiatives have been undertaken by the Government to provide technical guidance and further strengthen health infrastructure, availability of essential logistics including drugs and medical oxygen supply to manage COVID-19. Some of the major areas of intervention include:

-  Ministry of Health & FW has implemented a three-tier arrangement of dedicated COVID-19 health  facilities  [(i)  COVID  Care  Center  (CCC);  (ii)  Dedicated  COVID  Health  Centre (DCHC) and (iii) Dedicated COVID Hospital (DCH)] has been implemented in the country to reduce the risk of cross infection to non-COVID patients as well as to maintain continuity of non-COVID essential health services in the country.
-  Ministry of Health & Family Welfare continues to provide technical guidance for managing various aspects of COVID-19. So far more than 150 guidelines/advisories/SoPs/plans have been provided to States/UTs.
-  Guidelines  on  Clinical  management  of  COVID-19  continues  to  be  updated  with  emerging scientific evidence. The treatment protocol for adults was last updated on 24.05.2021 and has been widely circulated.
-  Guidelines  for  management  of  COVID-19 in  children  was  issued  on  18th  June  2021.  The guideline  covers  guidance  on  management  of  acute  presentation  of  COVID-19  as  well  as Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome (MIS-C) in children and adolescents found temporally related to COVID-19.
-  Guidelines  and  checklists  on  prevention  and  clinical  management  of  Mucormycosis  was disseminated to all States/UTs.
-  A  Comprehensive  Guidelines  for  Management  of  Post-Covid  Sequelae  was  issued  by MoHFW on 21 st October 2021 after expert consultations to guide doctors on post-COVID-19 complications and their management.
-  To  further  provide  on-field  assistance  to  the  States/UTs,  a  total  of  170  Central  multidisciplinary  team  comprising  of  epidemiologists,  clinicians,  microbiologists  and  senior officials  from  the  Ministry  have  been  deployed  to  States/Districts  reporting  increased trajectory of cases.
-  States are supported in terms of supply of logistics which includes PPE Kits, N-95 masks, ventilators and drugs like Hydroxychloroquine, Remdesivir etc.

-  States have been supported with supply of oxygen cylinders and oxygen concentrators. States are  also  supported  in  terms  of  installation  of  Oxygen  concentrator  plants/  PSA  (Pressure Swing Adsorption plants) plants. All the States have been advised rational use of oxygen and to  prohibit  the  wasteful  usage  by  strict  monitoring.  States  have  also  been  advised  to undertake oxygen consumption audit in hospitals including private hospitals and to undertake facility-wise/hospital-wise  oxygen  inventory  mapping  and  advance  planning  for  timely replenishment so that there is no stock out.
-  As  on  7 th December  2021,  under  National  COVID-19  Vaccination  Programme,  a  total  of 128.76 crore vaccine doses have been administered in the country, out of which 80.27 crore (85.5% of adult population) are 1 st dose and 48.49 crore (51.6% of the eligible population) are 2 nd dose. Adequate doses to vaccinate all eligible 1 st dose and due 2 nd dose beneficiaries aged 18 years and above by December 2021 have been made available to State/UTs.

Funding support is also provided to States/UTs through various avenues:

-  During  the  F.Y.  2019-20.  funds  to  the  tune  of  Rs.1113.21  crore  was  released  to  the States/UTs under NHM towards management and containment of COVID-19 pandemic.
-  Since September 2020, the Union Government has allowed use of State Disaster Response Funds (SDRF) for various COVID-19 related activities.
-  During  the  FY  2020-21,  funds  to  the  tune  of  Rs.  8257.88  crore  has  been  released  to  the States/UTs towards the India COVID-19  Emergency  Response and Health System Preparedness Package. This provided support to States for health infrastructure strengthening, expansion of laboratory network, surveillance and contact tracing, procurement  of  PPEs,  N-95  masks,  ventilators  etc.  Of  this  Rs.  386.37  Crore  have  been released to State Government of Telangana.
-  In addition, 'India COVID-19 Emergency Response & Health System Preparedness Package: Phase-II' has also been approved by the Cabinet with Rs 23,123 crores (with Rs. 15,000 Cr as Central Component & Rs 8,123 Cr as State component) and is implemented from 1 st July 2021. This includes support to State/UT level for ramping up health infrastructure including those  in  rural,  tribal  and  peri-urban  areas  closer  to  the  community,  providing  support  for procurement of drugs and diagnostics to enhance service delivery at district and sub district levels for management of COVID-19 cases (including pediatric care) and for maintaining a buffer of drugs, support for IT Interventions such as implementation of Hospital Management Information System (HMIS) and expanding access to tele-consultations in all districts,  and  support  for  capacity  building  and  training  for  all  aspects  of  management  of COVID-19. A total of Rs. 149.34 crore released for the State of Telangana so far.

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