Amid global surge in cases, Centre asks states to review covid preparedness, hold mock drill in hospitals

To ensure the readiness of the COVID-19 health facilities to meet the increase in clinical care needs due to any spurt in cases, the Union health ministry has asked the states and Union territories to hold mock drills at all health facilities on Tuesday.

In view of a surge in the Covid trajectory in many countries, it is necessary that the requisite public health measures are put in place in all the states to meet any exigencies, Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan said in a letter to the states on Saturday.

"It has therefore been decided to hold mock drill at all health facilities (including identified COVID dedicated health facilities) across the country on Tuesday, 27th December," he said in the letter.

The focus during the exercise shall be on parameters such as geographically representative availability of health facilities (covering all districts), bed capacities -- isolation beds, oxygen-supported isolation beds, ICU beds and ventilator-supported beds -- and an optimal availability of doctors, nurses, paramedics, AYUSH doctors and other frontline workers, such as ASHA workers and anganwadi workers.

It will also focus on the human resource capacity in terms of the number of healthcare professionals trained in Covid management, healthcare professionals trained in the ventilatory management protocol for severe cases.

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