Health

NITI Aayog member Dr V. K. Paul said thwarting the third wave of Covid-19 pandemic is in the hands of the people as “it can be stopped if Covid appropriate behaviour is followed, and majority of the people get vaccinated”. Paul’s remarks came a day after a record 85 lakh Covid vaccination doses were administered across the country till Monday midnight with the beginning of the implementation of the revised Covid-19 vaccination policy, in which the Centre is procuring 75 per cent of domestically available vaccines for free jabs to the 18-plus population. Paul reminded that a “third wave can…

Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi launched the ‘Customized Crash Course programme for Covid 19 Frontline workers in Healthcare’ to skill and upskill over one-lakh COVID warriors. During the launch event, PM Modi stressed that with Coronavirus expected to evolve in future, the healthcare infrastructure needs to be strengthened and additional skilled manpower would be instrumental in tackling the virus to a large extent. The program aims to skill and upskill, over one-lakh healthcare professionals in job roles relevant and related to services required to fight Covid-19. Covid-19 has put existing healthcare system under unprecedented stress, and the requirement of skilled…

The Supreme Court on Monday deferred its decision on the petitions seeking orders that ex-gratia compensation of Rs 4 lakh be provided to the relatives of COVID-19 victims. For about two hours, a special vacation bench consisting of Justices Ashok Bhushan and M R Shah heard Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, senior counsel S B Upadhyay, and other lawyers. The Centre had earlier told the apex court that the ex-gratia compensation of Rs 4 lakh cannot be paid to the families of those who have died of COVID-19 as the finances of state governments and the Centre are under severe strain.…