Govt allocates INR 23,220 Cr under new scheme to strengthen child healthcare

New Delhi: Union Finance and Corporate Affairs Minister, Nirmala Sitharaman on 28th June, 2021 announced a slew of measures to provide relief to diverse sectors affected by the 2nd wave of COVID-19 pandemic. A total of 17 measures amounting to Rs. 6,28,993 crore were announced.

Besides supporting the health sector through credit guarantee scheme, a new scheme for strengthening public health infrastructure and human resources with outlay of Rs. 23,220 crore was also announced.

The new scheme will focus on short term emergency preparedness with special emphasis on children and paediatric care/paediatric beds. An outlay of Rs. 23,220 crore is earmarked for the scheme to be spent in the current financial year itself.

Under the scheme funds will be available for short-term HR augmentation through medical  students (interns, residents, final year) and nursing students; increasing availability of ICU beds, oxygen supply at central, district and sub-district level; availability of equipment, medicines; access to tele-consultation; strengthening ambulance services; and enhancing testing capacity and supportive diagnostics, strengthen capacity for surveillance and genome sequencing.