The Union Cabinet recently approved investments worth 15,000 crore INR for the ‘India COVID-19 Emergency Response and Health System Preparedness Package’.
About the Package
The India COVID-19 Emergency Response and Health System Preparedness Package is a support package for providing funds on a mission mode to help mount an urgent response to the COVID-19 crisis. The funds are to be sanctioned in 3 phases. For immediate response, 7,774 crore INR has been provisioned and the remaining have been allocated for medium term support (1 to 4 years).
Objectives
- Development of diagnostics and treatment facilities for COVID-19.
- Centralized procurement of drugs and essential medical equipment.
- Strengthening of health system to prevent and prepare for future outbreaks.
- Establishment of labs.
- Bolstering surveillance activities.
- Improve bio-security preparedness.
- Bolster pandemic research.
- Proactively engage communities.
- Conduct risk communication activities.
Phase I
The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare with other ministries have already taken the following steps under the first phase:
- Additional funds worth 3,000 crore INR have been released to the states and UTs for strengthening health facilities.
- Hotspots have been identified and containment is being implemented.
- Diagnostic lab networks have been expanded and the focus is on increasing the testing capacity.
- Healthcare workers have been covered with insurance under ‘Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Package: Insurance Scheme for Health Workers fighting COVID-19’.
- Central procurement of PPE, ventilators, drugs and testing kits.