Covid-19: Health minister Mansukh Mandaviya pulls up states, only 17% of funds to ramp up ICU beds used

Health minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Sunday read the riot act to state governments as the Covid cases continue to rise sharply.

Mandaviya Sunday told states they have collectively utilised only over 17 per cent of the Rs 23,123 crore Emergency Covid-19 Response Package that was approved by the Cabinet last August.

The package was to ramp up medical infrastructure after the deadly Covid second wave last year.

Mandaviya reviewed the Covid situatiobn with state health ministers and senior officials in the backdrop of India reporting a sharp rise in Covid cases. On Sunday, India reported ,close to 28,000 new cases in 24 hours and the cumulative active caseload touched 1.22 lakh. Just a week back, on December 26, India had reported just 6,531 cases, and the active case load was 75,841.

Also Watch: India now has over 1500 Omicron variant Covid-19 cases: Health Ministry

The Health Minister said other countries were witnessing “3-4 times the surge in Covid-19 cases in comparison to their earlier peaks” and noted that in India too, a “high surge in cases can overwhelm the medical system”, The Indian Express has reported.

Mandaviya asked the states ,to leave no stone unturned in ramping up medical infrastructure to manage a high surge in Covid cases.

Also Watch: Vaccination drive for children aged 15-18 years begins today