Varanasi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi while giving a new mantra in Covid management 'Jahan Bimaar, Wahi Upchar' which means making treatment available at the local level, interacted with doctors and officials of his parliamentary constituency through video conference on Friday.
"Bringing the treatment to the patient's doorstep will reduce the burden on the health system," said the PM, hailing the initiative of micro containment zones and appreciating the home delivery of medicines taken by the local administration.
Turning emotional while the tears flowed down from his eyes, PM paid tributes to all those who lost their loved ones in this epidemic.
He appealed to the health workers to make this campaign as comprehensive as possible in rural areas. "Bringing doctors, labs and e-marketing companies together to provide a tele-medicine facility named 'Kashi Kavach' is also a very innovative initiative," he said while lauding the efforts of the medical team in containing the pandemic to a great extent.
However, he also warned against complacency and urged them to engage in fighting a long battle right now by focusing on the rural areas not only of the district but also of the entire Purvanchal (eastern UP).
"The plans that have been made and the campaigns that have been run in our country in the last few years, have helped a lot in fighting Corona. Initiatives like the toilets built under Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, the free treatment facilities under the Ayushman Bharat scheme, the gas cylinders under the Ujjwala scheme, the Jan Dhan bank accounts or the Fit India campaign, awareness of Yoga and AYUSH have increased the strength of the people in the fight against Corona," said Mr Modi.
The PM underscored the importance of continuous training of the manpower fighting Covid and advised the officials and doctors to conduct training sessions and webinars, especially for the paramedical staff and doctors serving in the rural areas.
"Work towards bringing down vaccine wastage in the district," he asked the officials, commending the work done by the doctors, nurses, technicians, ward boys, ambulance drivers and other frontline health workers of the city.
Praising the speed with which the number of oxygen and ICU beds has been increased in such a short time in the city and the way the Pt Rajan Mishra Covid Hospital has been activated at such a short notice, he expressed happiness that the Integrated Covid Command System in Varanasi worked very well.
"Varanasi's example inspires the world," he said, emphasizing the important role played by ASHA and ANM sisters in the ongoing war against COVID-19 in the villages and urged the health officials to take maximum advantage of their potential and experience.
"During this second wave, the front line workers have been able to serve the people safely because they were already vaccinated," he said, urging everyone to administer the vaccine when their turn comes.
Giving the example of substantial control of 'encephalitis cases in children' in the Purvanchal region due to active efforts of the UP government, recalling how Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had raised the issue during previous governments in the Lok Sabha when he was an MP, PM urged the officials and doctors to work with the same sensitivity and vigilance. He cautioned against the new challenge posed by black fungus (Mucormycosis) in the battle against the pandemic.
"It is important to pay attention to the precautions and arrangements required to deal with it," he said, hailing the leadership provided by local public representatives in the fight against Covid. He urged the public representatives to remain connected with the public and advised them to show full sensitivity towards their concern despite criticisms. "If any citizen has any grievance, then it is the responsibility of the public representatives to be concerned about it," he said, praising the local people for keeping the promise of maintaining the city clean.
During the interaction, the doctors and officials of the district thanked the PM for his continuous and proactive leadership that helped in ramping up health infrastructure and ensured adequate supply of necessary medications and critical equipment like ventilators and oxygen concentrators.
PM was informed about the efforts undertaken in the last one month to contain the spread of Covid, vaccination status, and the ongoing steps and plans to prepare the district for future challenges. The doctors also informed the PM that they have been vigilant about the threat of black fungus and have already taken steps and created facilities for the management of the disease. (UNI)
