After it allowed millions of migrant workers to cross the borders to reach their native villages, Union Health Ministry has now woken up to the Covid-19 shadow looming over their home States — particularly big five — UP, Bihar, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh.
Anticipating huge surge in these regions, the Centre has asked the State Governments to mobilise all resources like setting set up temporary health sub centres in the existing buildings, rope in volunteers from various streams and enhance incentives to ASHA and ANM workers to identify the symptomatic cases to check the spread of infections.
To keep up with the increasing demand, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) too has ramped up its testing facilities and capacities.
From a few thousands in the beginning, India is now testing up to 1.1 lakh samples in a day, according to Dr Balram Bhargava, Director General, ICMR
The country is already battling with mounting number of Covid-19 cases being reported from dense urban clusters like Dharavi in Mumbai, Pune, Surat and Ahmedabad, and a market in Chennai in Tamil Nadu, and parts of Delhi.
However, now with exodus of workers from these areas to their home States, the Centre fears major surge in Covid-19 cases from these regions. For instance, with close to 3,000 cases now, more than half of which has been discovered in just last one week, Bihar is fast developing into the next troubled State. Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh have already touched over 6,000 mark. Odisha has seen a major spurt this month with its cases going from 143 on May 1 to 1,517 till date.
The Ministry has also advised these States to station Mobile Medical Units (MMUs) at quarantine centres. In a review meeting with the senior officials from these States, Union Health Secretary Preeti Sudan, said temporary sub-health centres can be set up in existing buildings and additional frontline workers such as Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram (RBSK) teams can be utilised.
The Ministry has also advised that the link with Ayushman Bharat - Health and Wellness Centres -- needs to be established so that immediate health check-ups can be arranged and tele-medicine services can be rolled out from these centres.
“To meet with the surge among incoming migrant workers, ASHAs and ANMs can be given additional incentives. Pay special attention to vulnerable groups such as pregnant women, under-5-year children, elderly, those with co-morbidity and also mobilise the Anganwadi workforce in the districts. The nutrition needs have to be checked among children under the age of five,” said Sudan.
She also stressed that immediate measures need to be taken to continue essential health programmes for TB, leprosy and non-communicable diseases such as hypertension and diabetes.