Amid spread in global COVID-19 cases, Centre asks states to undertake mock drills in hospitals on Dec 27

Amid the looming scare of a Covid-19 spread in several neighbouring countries, the Health Ministry asked states and union territories (UTs) to conduct a mock drill on Tuesday, December 27, to evaluate their level of readiness. As per the directions of the central government, these mock drills will be conducted at every health facility, including dedicated Covid healthcare facilities.

The focus of the exercise will aim to assess the bed capacities at hospitals, including isolation beds, oxygen-supported isolation beds, ICU beds and ventilator-supported beds.

The drill will include the geographically representative availability of health facilities, including all districts in the state.

Optimal availability of human resources will be analysed. This will include a count of doctors, nurses, paramedics, AYUSH doctors, and other frontline workers, including ASHAs, anganwadi workers, etc. The human resource capacity of health facilities will be checked. This will include healthcare professionals trained in Covid management, healthcare professionals trained in ventilatory management protocol for severe cases, healthcare workers trained in the operation of PSA (Pressure swing adsorption)



plants etc.

Referral services will be evaluated by checking the availability of advanced and basic life support (ALS/BLS) ambulances, availability of other ambulances (under PPP mode or with NGOs), availability of ambulance call centre.

Testing capacities will be checked and capacities of Covid testing laboratories, availability of RT-PCR and RAT kits, availability of testing equipment and reagents logistics availability will be scrutinised through the drills.

"Availability of essential drugs, ventilators, BIPAP, SPO2 systems, PPE kits, N-95 masks, etc., the notification stated.

Along with life-supporting medicines, readiness and the availability of telemedicine services, medical oxygen, PSA plants, Liquid Medical Oxygen (LMO) storage tanks will be recorded.

Amid the looming scare due to the spread of Covid, the Secretary of the Ministry of Health Rajesh Bhushan directed all states to undertake the drill.

The directions further stated that mock drills should be carried out under the guidance of respective district collectors, district magistrates, after consultation with officers of the health department.