Centre has delegated six high-level multi-disciplinary public health teams to six states reporting surge in COVID-19 cases. The states are Kerala, Arunachal Pradesh, Tripura, Odisha, Chhattisgarh and Manipur. Union Health Ministry today said, these teams will assist in COVID-19 control and containment measures. It further said, they will gather a first-hand understanding of the challenges and issues being faced by the respective states and strengthen their ongoing activities by removing bottlenecks.

Two-member high-level team to these states consists of a clinician and a public health expert. The team to Manipur will be led by Dr. L Swasticharan, Add. DDG & Director EMR; team to Arunachal Pradesh will be led by Dr. Sanjay Sadhukhan, Professor AIIH & PH; for Tripura Dr. RN Sinha Dir Professor, AIIH & PH; for Kerala Dr. Ruchi Jain, Public Health Specialist Gr. II, RoHFW; team for Odisha will be led by Dr. A Dan, Public Health Specialist AIIH&PH and for Chhattisgarh Dr. Dibakar Sahu, Assistant Professor, AIIMS Raipur.

These teams will monitor the overall implementation of COVID-19 management, especially in testing, including surveillance and containment operations; Covid appropriate behaviour and its enforcement; availability of hospital beds, sufficient logistics including ambulances, ventilators, medical oxygen and COVID-19 vaccination progress. They will suggest remedial actions after monitoring situation for the six states.