Indian PM: Ensure health systems are strengthened to meet Omicron challenge

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi directed the officials to ensure that the health systems in the states, beginning from the district level, are strengthened to meet any challenge posed by the new Covid-19 variant.

Modi on Thursday chaired a high-level meeting to review the status of Omicron variant.

According to the Prime Minister’s Office, Modi told the officials: “It is important for States to ensure that the Oxygen supply equipment are installed and fully functional.”

“He directed the officials to work with the states on a regular basis and review the status of preparedness of various components of health infrastructure including training and capacity building of human resources, timely availability of ambulances, readiness of states to operationalise Covid facilities for institutional quarantine, and effective and supervised monitoring of those in home isolation,” an official statement said.

The prime minister directed for sending a good number of positive samples for genome sequencing to INSACOG Labs in a prompt manner. He also directed for accelerating the testing to ensure quick identification of cases for timely containment and treatment. The focus should also be on effective contact tracing for curbing spread of the transmission, he stated.

• India