India Holds COVID Readiness Drills

New Delhi: With foreign returnees among fresh Covid cases amid spreading infections in several countries, especially China, hospitals across the country held a drill today.

Hospitals hold these mock drills to assess their preparedness to tackle any spike in Covid cases.

The exercise has been led by health ministers of the states concerned.

Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya oversaw the drill at Delhi’s Safdarjung Hospital. “Such exercises would help our operational readiness, help in filling gaps if any and will consequently strengthen our public health response,” Mr Mandaviya had said at a meeting with Indian Medical Association (IMA) yesterday.

The drill will focus on parameters such as the availability of health facilities in all districts, the capacity of isolation beds, oxygen-supported beds, ICU (intensive care unit) beds and ventilator-supported beds.

It will also focus on human resource capacity in terms of healthcare professionals trained in Covid management and healthcare professionals skilled in ventilator management and operation of medical oxygen plants.