Accelerate Vaccination Drive for Adolescents: PM Tells Officials

PM Narendra Modi. Image used for representational purposes.

(Photo: PTI)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Sunday, instructed officials to accelerate the vaccination drive for adolescents in a "mission mode" during a high-level meeting to assess the COVID-19 pandemic situation in the country.

During the meeting, he also reviewed the ongoing preparations for health infrastructure and logistics, the status of the vaccination campaign in the country, and the emergence of the new Omicron variant of the COVID-19 and its public health implications for the country.

A detailed presentation highlighting the surge in cases currently being reported globally was given by Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan, followed by another one on the status of COVID-19 in India highlighting various states and districts of concern, based on the surge in cases and high positivity being reported.

Further, various efforts taken by the central government so far in terms of supporting the states to manage the upcoming challenge were highlighted.

Various predictive scenarios of peak cases were also presented. The support to the states to upgrade health infrastructure, testing capacity, availability of oxygen and ICU beds, and buffer stock of COVID essential drugs under Emergency COVID Response Package (ECRP-II) was also presented.

The Prime Minister stressed the need to ensure adequate health infrastructure at the district level. He asked officials to coordinate with the states over this.

The presentation brought attention to India's consistent efforts towards the vaccination campaign, with 31 percent of adolescents aged 15-18 years having been administered the first dose so far within 7 days.

The Prime Minister noted this achievement and urged the officials to further accelerate the vaccine drive for adolescents in a "mission mode."

After a detailed discussion, the Prime Minister directed that intensive containment and active surveillance should continue in clusters reporting higher cases and wanted technical support to be provided to states which are reporting higher cases at present.

He highlighted the need to ensure effective usage of masks and physical distancing measures as a new normal to control the spread.

The Prime Minister further exhorted the need for effective implementation of home isolation for mild/asymptomatic cases, and to disseminate the factual information to the community at large.

He further highlighted the need to ensure continuity of non-COVID health services while managing COVID cases.

He also spoke about the need to leverage telemedicine to ensure the availability of health-related guidance to people in remote and rural areas.

While conveying his gratitude for the relentless services provided by healthcare workers in managing COVID-19 so far, he suggested ensuring that the vaccination coverage through precaution dose for healthcare workers, frontline workers should also be taken up in mission mode.

The Prime Minister also spoke about the importance of continuous scientific research in testing, vaccines, and pharmacological interventions, including genome sequencing given that the virus is evolving continuously.

The meeting was attended by Amit Shah, Union Home Minister, Mansukh Mandaviya, Minister of Health and Family Welfare, Bharati Pravin Pawar, Minister of State for Health & Family Welfare, VK Paul, Member (Health) NITI Aayog, Rajiv Gauba, Cabinet Secretary, AK Bhalla, Home Secretary, Rajesh Bhushan, Secretary (MoHFW), Secretary (Pharmaceuticals), and others.