Keep plenty of blood stock available in blood-banks : Veerendra Singh, Secretary, health department

• India-Pakistan war

• Alert orders for the Health Department

Mumbai – “In the wake of India-Pakistan war, doctors and staff should not be given leave. Those already on leave should be asked to join duty. Keep plenty of blood stocked in every blood- bank,” directed Health Department Secretary to all the senior officers in the Health Department. There should be no shortage of medicines, along with blood, a lot of medicines should be in stock. Oxygen, ventilator and Intensive care units should be prepared for emergency. Alert orders have been issued to National Health Mission, Ministry of Ayush, along with other departments. Health Secretary Veerendra Singh held an online meeting which was joined by senior officers of the Armed Forces, Directors, Deputy Directors, Dist. Surgeons, Medical college Deans and District Health officers.

Secretary to the government Nipun Vinayak issued a circular with some instructions. The instructions are as follows-

All the health organisations must be operational in full capacity, all the medical officers, and staff must be on duty, ambulance and other emergency vehicles must have life- saving systems, stretchers, reagents (substance used to find out chemicals), oxygen, other life-saving systems and beds.

Mobile medical team should be efficient and operational, health equipment, operation theatre should be functional with extra disposable equipment, laboratories must operate at optimum capacity, mock drills (for emergency) must be conducted when necessary. In case of black-out, emergency services must continue.However, the District Disaster Management’s guidance must be taken into consideration while observing black-out.