Northeast should screen people entering region: Dr. Harsh Vardhan

A CORRESPONDENT

NEW DELHI: Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare Dr. Harsh Vardhan, on Saturday, suggested that the Northeast States with international borders need to take adequate measures at the border areas to prevent COVID exposure by conducting screening of all individuals entering the States. Dr Vardhan further advised the States to ensure that the returning migrant labourers, students and those returning from abroad should be screened and quarantined as per the guidelines and protocol laid down by the by Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and Ministry of External Affairs.

He also stated that the guidelines for discharging patients is also revised and needs to be followed by all the States.

He also complimented all the north-eastern States for their fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. He also

"It is a huge relief and very encouraging seeing green zones in most of the north-eastern States. As of date, only Assam and Tripura have active COVID-19 cases; the other States are all in the green zone. Let us focus and work together by converting the orange zones to green zones and maintain the protective status across the States", he stated.

The Union Health Minister held a high-level meeting with the Health Ministers of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Tripura and Sikkim to review the status of COVID-19 in the north-eastern States along with the measures being taken for its containment and management.

The Health Ministers highlighted various issues related to testing facilities, health infrastructure, surveillance, contact tracing etc., and also shared their best practices.

Dr Vardhan said, "Political commitment at the highest levels of the Government, led by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is leading the government's response against the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19). India is prepared and fighting with the pandemic through its various timely measures and sturdy systems of surveillance for novel coronavirus."

The States were informed that funds have been allocated by Minister of DONER (Ministry of DoNER) for strengthening of the health infrastructure, and states need to submit their proposals for availing of funds under this fund.

For the States that have international borders, Dr Vardhan stated that these States need to take adequate measures at the border areas to prevent exposure by conducting screening of all individual entering the State at entry points and following quarantine protocol as per the guidelines.

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