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NCR needs common anti Covid-19 strategy, says Amit Shah, drafts in UP, Haryana
Amit Shah has asked UP and Haryana to provide details of their key health infrastructure assets deployed in fight against Covid-19.
Home minister Amit Shah on Thursday stressed on the need for a common strategy to tackle Covid-19 spread in the national capital region (NCR) and asked Uttar Pradesh and Haryana governments to provide details of total beds, oxygen cylinders, ICU facilities and ambulances available with them along with their plan to argument these facilities.
A government statement said that Shah passed the instructions while chairing a meeting to review Delhi’s preparations for management of Covid-19 spread.
“Shri Amit Shah said that keeping in view the close knit urban structure of the NCR region, it is necessary for all concerned authorities in Delhi and the NCR region to come together to tackle the virus,” the statement said.
Both Haryana and UP have been asked to submit the details by 15th July. This is the latest move in a series of decisions taken after Amit Shah took charge of Delhi’s preparedness to meet with the challenges posed by a rapid rise in Covid-19 cases over the last few weeks.
A committee, appointed by Shah and headed by NITI Aayog Member Dr V K Paul, had yesterday fixed Rs 2,400 as the rate of RT-PCR tests done by private hospitals to detect coronavirus. Capital’s testing capacity has also been hiked by almost 4 times since Sunday, in line with Shah’s assurance.
In addition to the above, health officials in the city have been instructed to set up rapid antigen testing facilities near over 160 containment zones for tracking, tracing and testing of coronavirus patients—a strategy underlined by the centre as key to managing the disease.
Also Read: Delhi commences Covid-19 rapid antigen tests
On Thursday, Shah is said to have asked both Uttar Pradesh and Haryana, who share borders with Delhi, to consider revising the rate of test charged in private hospitals in their jurisdiction if it is more than the panel-suggested capped rate of Rs 2,400.
According to the statement, Shah also indicated that in addition to fixing the rate for tests, Delhi government could also consider fixing the rate of treatment of coronavirus patients in line with the findings of the expert committee.
“Amit Shah also told the meeting that the committee also decided on rates for COVID-19 beds and treatment, and these rates could also be applied to hospitals in the NCR region after consultations,” it said.
The statement adds that Shah told the meeting that “there is a need to work in a Mission Mode”.
The meeting was attended by the Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, besides senior officials from the Union government, chief secretaries of Delhi, Haryana & Uttar Pradesh and other senior officers from Delhi-NCR, the statement added.
