The disaster management cell of the health ministry issued a directive on Friday informing about the deployment of multi-disciplinary central teams
The Union Health Ministry will deploy central teams of experts along with nodal officers in 10 states that are showing rapid rise in COVID-19 cases.
The Disaster Management Cell of the Ministry of Health issued instructions on Friday and informed about the deployment of multidisciplinary central teams.
“Given the rapid increase in cases and deaths due to COVID-19… noted in the internal reviews, it has been observed that some states have reported omicron cases. It has also been observed that the speed of vaccination of Kovid-19 in these states is less than the national average. In view of this situation, it has been decided to deploy multi-disciplinary central teams in 10 identified states, some of which are either reporting an increasing number of Omron and COVID-19 cases or to aid the state's efforts. Slow vaccination speed. District Administration for Management of COVID-19,” read the Health Ministry office memorandum that HT observed.
The states to which the teams will be sent include Kerala, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Mizoram, Karnataka, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand and Punjab.
The teams will be deployed in these identified states for three to five days as per requirement and will work closely with the state health officials.
The teams are specifically tasked with looking after contact tracing including surveillance, containment operations; COVID-19 testing including sending sufficient samples from the cluster to the INSACOG Lab network for genome sequencing; COVID Appropriate Practices and its enforcement; Adequate logistics including availability of hospital beds, ambulances, ventilators, medical oxygen etc.; and COVID-19 vaccination progress.
"State-level central teams will assess the situation, suggest remedial action and submit a report on public health activities besides handing over to the State Government to the Disaster Management Cell (Ministry of Health) by 7 pm every evening...," the order read.