Centre to hold COVID-19 mock drills at hospitals across states today

In the wake of rising COVID-19 cases in several countries, the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare will conduct mock drills on December 27.

As the infection is rising, the government in a bid to ensure the smoother functioning of the health system is conducting mock drills.

The announcement of the same was made on December 24, wherein, the ministry had said, ''It has therefore decided to hold the mock drill at all health facilities (Including identified COVID-dedicated health facilities) across the country on December 27''.

Meanwhile, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on December 26 said that all States Health Ministers would also participate in this at their level.

The mock drills will focus on factors like the number of health facilities in each district, the capacity of isolation beds, oxygen-supported beds, ICU beds, Ventilator-supported beds, and the best numbers of doctors, nurses, parademics, AYUSH doctors, and other frontline workers, such as ASHA and Anganwadi workers.

Besides this, the drill will also concentrate on human resource capacity, such as the availability of Advanced and Basic Life Support (ALS/BLS) ambulances, testing and scanning equipment and reagent, and essential drugs, as well as health care professionals trained in ventilatory management protocols for severe cases.

Amid the rising cases, the Health Ministry on December 24 emphasized that necessary public health measures must be implemented in all states and UTs to meet any exigencies, citing the surge in COVID-19 trajectory in many countries around the world.

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