Hold mock drill at all health facilities on Tuesday: Centre asks states

New Delhi, Dec 25: Amid rising Covid scare in many countries, especially China, the Centre has asked all the states and UTs to hold a mock drill at all the health facilities, including identified Covid centres, across the country on Tuesday (December 27).

"Taking note of a surge in Covid trajectory in many countries around the world, it is necessary that in all the states/UTs, requisite public health measures are put in place to meet any exigencies. The preparedness of Covid-19 health facilities is crucial to ensure that states/districts are in a state of readiness to meet increase in clinical care needs due to any spurt in cases," said Rajesh Bhushan, Union Health Secretary, in a letter to all the states and UTs on Saturday.

Bhushan said that it has therefore been decided to hold a mock drill at all health facilities, including identified Covid-dedicated health facilities, across the country on December 27. The objective of this exercise is to ensure operational readiness of these health facilities for management of COVID, he said.

The centre has said that during this exercise, focus shall be on the Geographically representative availability of health facilities covering all districts, Bed capacities like Isolation beds, oxygen supported isolation beds, ICU beds and ventilator supported beds andA
Optimal availability of human resource.

The ministry has asked to ensure through mock drill the availability of healthcare professionals trained on Covid-19 management, availability of advanced and basic life support (ALSfBLS) ambulances and testing capacities, logistics availability, availability of essential drugs, ventilators and medical oxygen.

The mock drill may be done under the overall guidance of respective district collectors/district magistrates in close consultation with officials of the health department of the state/UTs, read the letter.

"Follow up on any gap assessment shall be required to be undertaken by additional chief secretary, principal secretary, secretary (health) and or MD-NHM of states who will also be required to monitor the exercise personally under the overall guidance of health minister of the respective states," the letter said.