Government committed Rs 15,000 crore for health-related measures to contain COVID-19: FM Nirmala Sitharaman

Image courtesy: Twitter/PIB

New Delhi: Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday (May 17) outlined what the government has have done in the past two months in light of the COVID-19 crisis while announcing the final tranche of the Rs 20 lakh crore economic package announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to boost the economy.

The 7 measures today are:

1. MNREGA
2. Health - rural and urban, including education
3. Businesses and COVID-19
4. Decriminalization of CompaniesAct
5. Ease Of Doing Business
6. Public Sector Enterprises
7. State governments & related resources

The Finance Minister said that we would like to show what we have done in the past two months in light of the COVID-19 crisis, adding that health-related steps that have been taken, adding that "Government has committed Rs 15,000 crore for health-related measures so far for containment of COVID19 which includes Rs 50 lakh insurance per person for health professionals under #PMGKY."

According to the FM, Rs 15,000 crore was released by the PM, insurance cover of Rs 50 lakhs per person for health professionals was announced, made sure telemedicine comes into play, capacity building exercises have been taken up, for protection of health care workers, amendment of Epidemic Diseases Act was required which was undertaken.

Health-related steps taken so far for COVID containment 

- Already announced— Rs 15,000 crore 
- Released to states —Rs. 4113 cr
- Essential items — Rs 3750 cr 
- Testing labs and kits — Rs 550 cr 
- Insurance cover of Rs 50 lakhs per person for health professionals under Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana. Leveraging IT — Roll out of e-Sanjeevani Tele-Consultation Services 
- Capacity Building: Virtual learning modules — iGOT platform 
- Arogya Setu: self-assessment and contact tracing Protection to Health Workers 
- Amendment in Epidemic Diseases Act 
- Adequate provision for PPEs 
- From zero to 300 domestic manufacturers 
- Already supplied - PPEs (51 lakhs), N95 masks (87 lakhs) HCQ tablets (11.08 Cr) 

The Finance Minister also outlined Health Reforms and Initiatives: 

Increased investments in Public Health 
- Public Expenditure on Health will be increased. 
- Investments in grass root health institutions 
- Ramp up Health and Welhiess Centres in rural and urban areas 

Preparing India for any future pandemics 
- Infectious Diseases Hospital Blocks— all districts 
- Strengthening of lab network and surveillance — Integrated Public Health Labs in all districts & block level Labs & Public Health Unit to manage pandemics. 

- Encouraging Research—National Institutional Platform for One health by ICMR 
- National Digital Health Mission: Implementation of National Digital Health Blueprint