The Government of India has announced investments to the tune of Rs. 15,000 crores for 'India COVID-19 Emergency Response and Health System Preparedness Package. 

 

The funds sanctioned will be utilized for immediate COVID-19 Emergency Response i.e. Rs. 7,774 crores and rest will be for medium-term support (1-4 years) to be provided under mission mode approach.

 

The key objectives of the package include mounting emergency response to slow and limit COVID-19 in India through the development of diagnostics and COVID-19 dedicated treatment facilities, centralized procurement of essential medical equipment and drugs, strengthen and build resilient national and state health systems, setting up of laboratories and bolster surveillance activities, bio-securitypreparedness, pandemic research and proactively engage communities and conduct risk communication activities. 

 

These interventions and initiatives would be implemented under the overall umbrella of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

 

This will allow for rapidly ramping up the number of coronavirus testing facilities, Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), isolation beds, ICU beds, ventilators and other essential equipment. Simultaneously, training of medical and paramedical manpower will also be undertaken.

 

The major share of the expenditure will be used for mounting robust emergency response, strengthening national and state health systems followed by strengthening pandemic research and multi-sector national institutions and platforms for one health, community engagement and risk communication and implementation, management, capacity building, monitoring and evaluation components. 

 

The Ministry of Health & Family Welfare is authorized to re-appropriate resources among components of the package and among the various implementation agencies (National Health Mission, Central Procurement, Railways, Dept of Health Research/ICMR, National Centre for Disease Control) as per the evolving emergent situation.