Steps taken to Ensure Access to Testing, Treatment and Vaccines

New Delhi, December 21, 2021 :

Under National COVID-19 Vaccination Programme, COVID-19 vaccine is available free of cost for all citizens aged 18 years and above irrespective of their socio-economic status at all Government COVID-19 Vaccination Centres (CVCs). There is provision to facilitate vaccination of persons without prescribed identity cards such as migrants, seers, nomads, refugees, destitute, homeless people, beggars etc.through special sessions where 100% vaccination is done through on-site registration by the vaccinator under a prescribed procedure.

Government of India has issued advisory to all States/UTs for Near-to-Home COVID-19 Vaccination Centre (NHCVC) for elderly and differently abled citizens and for vaccination at the place of residence of persons who might be bed-ridden or have extremely restricted mobility or disability and/or special needs that may hamper their accessibility even to NHCVCs. From 3^rd November 2021 ‘Har Ghar Dastak’ Teekakaran Abhiyan has been launched wherein missed beneficiaries for 1^st dose and due beneficiaries for 2^nd dose are identified and vaccinated through house-to-house activity.

Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has issued the national policy for admission of COVID patients to various categories of COVID facilities with the aim to ensure prompt, effective and comprehensive treatment of patients suffering from COVID-19.

Union Ministry of Health & Family Welfare has been in regular interaction with the States/UTs to seek continued support in terms of strict and persistent implementation of 5-fold strategy (Test-Track-Treat-Covid Appropriate Behaviour-Vaccinate) against COVID-19.

Government of India has also significantly increased the testing capacity for Covid-19 related tests. As on 14^th December 2021, more than 3,000 operational laboratories are conducting Covid tests and reporting to Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) on RT-PCR, TruNat, CBNAAT and Other Molecular Nucleic Acid Tests for COVID-19.

Under PM-Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (PM-ABHIM) setting up of integratedpublic health laboratories in all districts and strengthening block public health unitsin 11 high focus states has been provisioned.

The Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, Dr Bharati Pravin Pawar stated this in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha today.

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