BHOPAL: Hospitals across Indian are carrying out mock drills on Tuesday to check the preparedness of health facilities to handle the surge in Covid-19 cases. In view of an uptick in Covid-19 cases in countries like China, Japan, Brazil and South Korea, the Union government has issued guidelines, asking the hospitals to conduct mock exercises across the country.

State Medical Education Minister Vishwas oversaw the drill at Hamidia Hospital. During the drill, functioning of the oxygen plants was checked. The hospital has an oxygen plant of 2000 LPM. Out of the 1498 beds, 1405 beds have been set up with oxygen support. Apart from Hamidia Hospital, mock drill was also conducted at Jaypee Hospital.Superintendent of the hospital, Dr. Rakesh Srivastava oversaw the preparations and checked the oxygen apparatus at the emergency unit.

The drills focus on parameters such as availability of health facilities in all districts, capacity of isolation beds, oxygen-supported beds, ICU (intensive care unit) beds and ventilator-supported beds. Apart from these human resource capacity in terms of healthcare professionals trained in Covid management and healthcare professionals skilled in ventilator management and operation of medical oxygen plants.

Earlier today, distirct authorities held a meeting with doctors at the district hospitals today. Instructions were issued based on the previous waves of COVID-19.

Mock drill are being conducted on the instructions by Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan who hadwritten to all states and Union Territories last week, asking them to hold the drill today.