New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired a meeting to review the status of preparedness to handle the COVID-19 given rising cases and stressed that there is no substitute for testing, tracking and treatment.
He said that all necessary measures must be taken to ramp up the availability of hospital beds for COVID patients.
He also asked the officials to make efforts to utilize the entire national capacity, in the public as well as the private sector, to ramp up vaccine production.
Various aspects relating to medicines, oxygen, ventilators and vaccination were discussed in the meeting.
Read:|Juna Akhara announces conclusion of Kumbh after PM Modi appeal
The Prime Minister spoke about the need to utilize the full potential of India's pharmaceutical industry to meet the rising demand for various medicines.
He said that together India had defeated COVID-19 last year and India can do it again, with the same principles but faster speed and coordination.
According to a PMO release, the Prime Minister said early testing and proper tracking remains key to reduce mortality.
Noting that local administrations need to be proactive and sensitive to people's concerns, the Prime Minister said close coordination with states must be ensured in handling the pandemic.
He reviewed the status of the supply of Remdesivir and other medicines.
The release said that the Prime Minister was briefed on actions taken to address the issue of availability of Remdesivir.
Read:|PM Modi holds meeting to review COVID-19, vaccination situation
It said that through the efforts of the government, capacity and production augmentation for manufacturing of Remdesivir has been ramped up to provide around 74.10 lakh vials per month in May while the normal production output in January-February was just 27-29 lakh vials per month.
Supplies have also increased from 67,900 vials on April 11 to over 2,06,000 vials on April 15 and are being particularly focused on states with high caseload and high demand.