Covid crisis: PM for monitoring at national level

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has directed for providing real-time national-level monitoring and guidance to all Covid-19 affected states with special focus on areas with a high positivity rate for the disease. The prime minister’s intervention was made during a highlevel meeting he chaired on Saturday to review the status of the coronavirus pandemic situation in India.

PM Modi is also reported to have praised the authorities for their coordinated efforts to contain the pandemic in Delhi and asked for the adoption of a similar approach in the national capital region (NCR) comprising several districts of UP, Rajasthan and Haryana.

“PM appreciated the concerted efforts of the Centre, State & local authorities in containing the pandemic in Delhi. He further directed that a similar approach should be adopted with other State Governments in containing Covid19 in the entire NCR area,” an official communication by the PMO said.

The meeting was also attended by Union home minister Amit Shah and health minister Harsh Vardhan along with senior government officials.

“Had an extensive meeting to review the COVID-19 situation across the nation. Took stock of the ongoing efforts to contain the infection,” the prime minister said in his tweet.

While taking stock of the situation in various parts of the country, the prime minister directed for a renewed emphasis on the need to observe personal hygiene and social discipline in public places. This, he indicated, should be done through renewal of awareness campaigns about Covid and methods to prevent its spread. He said that there is no room for any complacency in this regard.

During the meeting, the Ahmedabad model of homebased care through ‘Dhanvantri Rath’ and surveillance was picked up for special commendation for its success in containment of the disease and it was directed that it may be emulated in other places.

The review meeting came a day after when India’s Covid-19 tally went past the eight-lakh mark.