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Mint
2 days ago
- Health
- Mint
Low vaccine stocks in focus as new covid variants spread
New Delhi: As Covid cases rise in India amid low vaccine stocks, the Centre has set up a committee to review the situation and ensure that the country is ready to manage the unfolding situation. The panel, constituted by health and family welfare ministry, met earlier this week and last week to discuss covid preparedness, including low vaccine stocks, surveillance, testing, beds, and medicines, said two people familiar with the matter, speaking on the condition of anonymity. The committee of nation's top scientists and officials called for keeping the surveillance strong, increasing the pace of testing and putting out advisory, said on of the two people. The panel also reviewed covid-19 vaccine stocks in view of the vulnerable and high risk population including the elderly or people with co-morbid conditions, and recommended augmenting the number of beds and medicines in the hospitals, the official said. The meeting was attended by officials from the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), and Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR). Queries emailed to health minister JP Nadda's office, health secretary Punya Salila Srivastava, and health ministry spokesperson on 28 May remained unanswered till press time. The Department of Biotechnology (DBT) and other government laboratories are conducting environmental surveillance, collecting and analyzing sewage samples to understand the latest covid-19 surge. Delhi, Mumbai, Pune, Kolkata, Ahmedabad, Bengaluru and Thiruvananthapuram are seeing a spike in new covid patients. India has reported 1,010 active covid cases till 26 May, with seven people succumbing to the infection. However, the health ministry is yet to officially confirm the mortality numbers. The country has already started the genome sequencing of covid-19 cases to identify the variant behind the recent surge, with the genome typing being done by the National Institute of Virology (NIV-Pune). Two new variants of coronavirus—NB.1.8.1 and LF.7—found in India have mutated from an earlier JN.1 variant. Serum Institute of India and Bharat Biotech manufactured billions of doses of vaccines for Indians and for supplying more than 100 countries during the first few wave of the pandemic. However, after the situation eased, the last Covid vaccine batches were manufactured a year ago, with no visibility on new stocks. 'Right now, the virus looks very mild. We are tracking the number of covid-19 cases and hospitalisations happening across the country, and alerted all the laboratories,' said the second government official cited earlier. 'We have discussed covid-19 preparedness measures and other surveillance strategies.' Medical research shows vaccines give two different levels of protection. The first is against infection which is short-lived, and naturally wanes in about six months. Besides, the virus is also continually changing. The second type of protection is long-lasting, and protects our internal organs against severe diseases. A government scientist, while speaking on the condition of anonymity, said that almost all the individuals have contracted covid-19 infection multiple times. 'People have developed hybrid immunity (natural plus immunity via vaccine). In this situation, the requirement of booster dose becomes very negligible. This infection is now very mild and thus a vaccine may not be needed,' the scientist said. 'Earlier also there was no strong recommendation for booster dose. Hospitalisation are primarily due to co-morbid or underlying health conditions. Also, vaccines do not prevent any infection.' Public health experts have said there was no reason to panic because the cases were mild, while advising developing vaccine for the newest variant. 'There are a few reports of the hospitalisation and deaths, but these deaths are being reported in patients with comorbidities. The Tamil Nadu government also said that the death which occurred was a co-incidental finding of covid, because we have ramped up our testing capacity,' said Dr Soumya Swaminathan, former director-general of Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and the former chief scientist at WHO. ICMR surveillance data indicates that there is not much increase in the severity of hospitals or deaths and a vaccine is anyway not going to prevent mild infections, Dr Swaminathan said, citing the Omicron wave despite vaccination. 'The immunity which we have now is protecting us that is why we are getting mild infections,' she said. 'Maybe in the future, it covid variant changes to another severe mutant, then we have to quickly modify and manufacture those vaccines and then have a program. Even in the current scenario, there does not seem to be any need for the boosters.' Dr Swaminathan suggested that companies must create a vaccine using the latest variant, which is possible to do now. 'The moment we get the genome sequencing data, companies should be able to create that vaccine. There's no point in giving the old vaccine made from an original strain of covid,' she said, adding the many companies in the West update their vaccines every year. The WHO has not classified the new covid mutation as 'variant of concern or variant of interest', and has advised senior and high-risk people to be careful and put masks when they go out. Covid vaccination approach has varied with every country, based on the disease burden, said Dr Rajeev Jayadevan, past president at Indian Medical Association (IMA), Cochin Dr Rajeev Jayadevan, citing the conservative approach of Scandinavian nations and aggressive vaccination in the US. 'India's population is already well-immunised. Our percentage of vaccination coverage is also high, with limited vaccine hesitancy. We rightly prioritised delivering vaccines to those who were at significantly greater risk of death and severe disease,' he said. 'In the subsequent years, the population has also been exposed to various versions of this virus. This has erased the lack of immune memory that had contributed to the deaths and severe disease in the early part of the pandemic.' 'The disease has become milder now, which changes the decision-making balance,' Dr Jayadevan said. 'While mitigation strategies are important to limit the spread, there is no role for universal booster vaccine shots at this time.'
Time of India
22-05-2025
- Health
- Time of India
DGHS Appointed to Oversee PM-ABHIM, Ayushman Arogya Mandir Progs
1 2 3 New Delhi: The director general of health services (DGHS), Delhi, has been appointed to manage and implement the PM Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (PM-ABHIM) and Ayushman Arogya Mandir programmes under the National Health Mission (NHM) in the capital. A senior official said the move aims to improve the efficiency and execution of these key health initiatives, ensuring they meet their objectives. The DGHS will oversee planning, implementation, and monitoring, coordinating with various stakeholders to ensure smooth and effective delivery. An official order, issued on Wednesday, May 21 by the special secretary (health and family welfare), stated: "In compliance with the implementation requirements of PM-ABHIM and Ayushman Arogya Mandirs under NHM, DGHS shall be overall in charge for management and execution of programme components in Delhi. The DGHS will ensure the availability of human resources, drugs, diagnostics, equipment, logistics, training, infrastructure, etc. , as per Indian Public Health Standards guidelines." The order also designated all district medical officers (DMOs) as nodal officers for Ayushman Arogya Mandirs—including sub-centres and primary health centres (PHC)—in their respective districts. Officials explained that Ayushman Arogya Mandir (AAM) comprises two components: SCs and PHCs. Sub-centres function under PM-ABHIM, launched in 2021-22 with consolidated funding until 2026. Based on Delhi's population, the city requires 1,139 sub-centres. PHCs fall under the NHM, funded through a 60:40 cost-sharing model between the Centre and the state govt. Delhi requires 400 PHCs, of which 123 have been approved for the current financial year.
Time of India
22-05-2025
- Health
- Time of India
DGHS Appointed to Oversee PM-ABHIM, Ayushman Arogya Mandir Programmes
New Delhi: The director general of health services (DGHS), Delhi, has been appointed to manage and implement the PM Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (PM-ABHIM) and Ayushman Arogya Mandir programmes under the National Health Mission (NHM) in the capital. A senior official said the move aims to improve the efficiency and execution of these key health initiatives, ensuring they meet their objectives. The DGHS will oversee planning, implementation, and monitoring, coordinating with various stakeholders to ensure smooth and effective delivery. An official order, issued on Wednesday, May 21 by the special secretary (health and family welfare), stated: "In compliance with the implementation requirements of PM-ABHIM and Ayushman Arogya Mandirs under NHM, DGHS shall be overall in charge for management and execution of programme components in Delhi. The DGHS will ensure the availability of human resources, drugs, diagnostics, equipment, logistics, training, infrastructure, etc. , as per Indian Public Health Standards guidelines." The order also designated all district medical officers (DMOs) as nodal officers for Ayushman Arogya Mandirs—including sub-centres and primary health centres (PHC)—in their respective districts. Officials explained that Ayushman Arogya Mandir (AAM) comprises two components: SCs and PHCs. Sub-centres function under PM-ABHIM, launched in 2021-22 with consolidated funding until 2026. Based on Delhi's population, the city requires 1,139 sub-centres. PHCs fall under the NHM, funded through a 60:40 cost-sharing model between the Centre and the state govt. Delhi requires 400 PHCs, of which 123 have been approved for the current financial year.
New Indian Express
21-05-2025
- Health
- New Indian Express
DMC dissolution: reform or political move?
NEW DELHI: A major shake-up is underway in Delhi's healthcare sector as the newly formed BJP-led government moves to dissolve the Delhi Medical Council (DMC). The decision, which follows a series of allegations regarding administrative mismanagement and financial irregularities, has raised serious concerns. The DMC has long been the city's primary watchdog for medical standards, tasked with validating the credentials of doctors and hospitals, overseeing medical compliance, and handling cases of negligence and professional misconduct. Delhi's Health Minister, Pankaj Singh, confirmed last week that the Delhi government has formally proposed the dissolution of the DMC. The proposal, which is now with Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena for approval, would mark the first such dissolution since the council's inception in 1998. Until a new body is formed, the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) will temporarily oversee the council's functions. 'The file regarding the dissolution of DMC is with the L-G. Until a new council is formed, DGHS will take charge. Several allegations, including mismanagement and corruption, prompted this move. There are also concerns related to the registration of doctors and the upcoming tenure of the president and vice president,' Singh said.
United News of India
20-05-2025
- Health
- United News of India
257 active COVID cases in India so far, situation under control : DGHS
New Delhi, May 20 (UNI) Amid spurt in cases in Singapore and Hong Kong, the number of active COVID cases in India stands at 257 as on May 19, 2025, the Director General of Health Services (DGHS) said on Tuesday. This a very low figure considering the country's large population. Almost all of these cases are mild, with no hospitalization required, it said after review meeting, according to a PIB release. Recent media reports have highlighted an increase in Covid-19 cases in Singapore and Hong Kong in the last few weeks. As per the preliminary information available, the cases are mostly mild, not associated with unusual severity or mortality. In light of these developments, a review meeting of experts from National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Emergency Medical Relief (EMR) division, Disaster Management Cell, Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and Central government hospitals was convened under the Chairpersonship of DGHS. The meeting concluded that the current Covid-19 situation in India remains under control. "As of May 19, 2025, the number of active Covid-19 cases in India stands at 257, a very low figure considering the country's large population. Almost all of these cases are mild, with no hospitalization required", it said. "A robust system for surveillance of respiratory viral illnesses including Covid-19 also exists in the country through the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP) and ICMR", the DGHS said, adding, the Union Health Ministry remains vigilant and proactive in monitoring the situation closely, ensuring that appropriate measures are in place to safeguard public health. UNI GV 1813
