Utilise Entire National Capacity to Ramp Up Vaccine Production, Says PM Modi After Review Meet

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday held a meeting to review the preparedness of public health response to Covid-19 as cases continue to spike at an alarming rate across the country. PM Modi said that all necessary measures must be taken to ramp up the availability of hospital beds for Covid patients. He reiterated the need for testing, tracking and treatment to tackle the current situation.

In the meeting attended by top officials of ministries and state governments, Modi emphasised on the need for the local administrations to be proactive and sensitive to people’s concerns. He also reviewed the status of supply of Remdesivir and other medicines.

Installation of approved medical oxygen plants should be sped up, he directed the officials adding that the entire national capacity must be put to use to ramp up the vaccine production. “Together India had defeated COVID-19 last year and India can do it again, with the same principles but faster speed and coordination,” he said.

Directing officials to ensure close coordination with states, he said all necessary measures must be taken to ramp up the availability of hospital beds for COVID patients and that additional supply of beds through temporary hospitals and isolation centres should be ensured. He also spoke about a need to utilise the full potential of India’s pharmaceutical industry to meet the rising demand of various medicines and reviewed the status of the supply of Remdesivir and other medicines. On the issue of vaccination, the prime minister directed all officials to make efforts to utilize the entire national capacity, in the public as well as the private sector, to ramp up vaccine production.

“Reviewed preparedness to handle the ongoing COVID-19 situation. Aspects relating to medicines, oxygen, ventilators and vaccination were discussed. Like we did last year, we will successfully fight COVID with even greater speed and coordination,” he tweeted soon after the meeting.

Modi said that states and Centre must work in close coordination to handle the pandemic situation better. He was joined by Cabinet Secretary, Principal Secretary to PM, Union Home Secretary, Union Health Secretary, Pharma Secretary. Dr VK Paul of Niti Aayog was also present.

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