Bihar News: Govt fully prepared to tackle new COVID-19 variant: Additional Chief Secretary (ACS)

A high-level meeting in Bihar reviewed the current COVID-19 situation, focusing on new variants and resource availability. Officials emphasised public awareness and readiness for potential outbreaks.

A high level meeting was held at health department here on Monday to review the current situation of COVID-19 infection in the state and its preparations to deal with the situation. The meeting, which was held at department’s conference hall, was chaired by Development Commissioner-cum-health department’s Additional Chief Secretary Pratyaya Amrit.

The meeting reviewed the current situation of COVID-19 infection, availability of medical facilities, arrangement for testing and treatment, supply of medicines and oxygen and other important resources for the purpose. Civil Surgeons of all the districts, Principals and Superintendents of medical colleges, besides representatives from AIIMS Patna, IGIMS, Patna, RMRI, Patna, ESIC hospital, Bihta (Patna) participated at the review meeting through video-conferencing.

Additional Chief Secretary (ACS) Pratyaya Amrit appealed to the common people not to get panicky with the new variant of Corona and remain alert and aware of the situation. According to INSACOG (Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium), two new variants of NB.1.8.1 and LF.7 Covid have been detected in India. INSACOG is the forum set up under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare by the central government in the aftermath of COVID-19 pandemic to study and monitor genome sequencing and virus variation of circulating strains of COVID-19 in India.

WHO Monitoring and Government Response

World Health Organisation (WHO) has kept these two new variants under "monitoring" category. Amrit directed all the civil surgeons and superintendents of medical colleges to identify the suspicious cases, strictly monitor it besides ensuring timely testing of cases. All the districts should be ready to deal with any possible situation, he added.

Supply Chain and Public Awareness

The department has ensured the supply of testing kits, masks, medicines, oxygen and other necessary equipment, ACS said and stressed the need for transparency, effective coordination besides fixing responsibility in medical services. He also directed the officials concerned to create public awareness besides strengthening the regular monitoring. Health department’s Secretary Manoj Kumar Singh, Bihar Medical Services & Infrastructure Corporation Ld (BMSICL) Managing Director Dharmendra Kumar, department’s joint secretary Dr Anupama Singh and other officials were present during the meeting.