Rs 23,000 crores package will be given to deal with the problems that occurred in the second wave of COVID, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said on Thursday after the cabinet. He added that It will be used jointly by the Central and state governments.

This was the first address by Mansukh Madaviya that came after a cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

“We have to collectively fight against COVID. The limitation period is a maximum of nine months,” the Union Health Minister said. 

He added, “We have to get it done quickly. State governments will have to do it quickly. Our duty is to help the state in every possible way.”

The Centre would provide Rs 15,000 crore and states Rs 8,000 crore and the plan would be implemented jointly, the Union Health Minister said.

Under the COVID relief fund, Mansukh Mandaviya said that pediatric care centres will be formed in 736 districts and 20,000 ICU beds will be created. 

Mandaviya said this is the second phase of the Emergency Response and Health System Preparedness Package as the Central government had given Rs 15,000 crore earlier for setting up COVID-dedicated hospitals and health centres across the country.

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The announcement a day after the mega cabinet reshuffle in Modi’s government, ahead of which Dr Harsh Vardhan resigned as the Union Health Minister, making way for Mansukh Mandaviya. 

The relief package comes as India is witnessing a decrease in daily COVID infections from mid-June after the second wave reached its peak in April-May, with recording over 300,000 cases in 24 hours. 

The minister said storage facilities for oxygen and medicines would also be created at the district level under the plan and added it also aims to accelerate health system preparedness for immediate responsiveness for early prevention, detection and management of Covid with the focus on infrastructure development.