UP to invoke NSA,Gangsters Act against those black marketing medicines, oxygen, injections

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has asked Insurance Regulator IRDAI to ensure timely authorisation for cashless treatment of COVID patients. Ms Sitharaman spoke to IRDAI Chairman SC Khuntia over the reports that some hospitals are denying cashless insurance. In a tweet, she said, in March last year Covid included as a part of comprehensive health insurance and cashless service is available at networked or even temporary hospitals. The Minister informed that over nine lakh Covid related claims have been settled by insurance companies for 8642 crore rupees so far. She added that even tele-consultations can be covered in it. The Minister said that IRDAI will direct companies to prioritise authorisations and settlements of Covid cases. 

-Uttar Pradesh will invoke National Security Act and Gangster Act on those persons who are involved in black marketing and holding of necessary medicines, oxygen and injections required for covid treatment.Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath assured that there is no dearth of oxygen for patients in the state and government is doing its best to provide oxygen to all hospitals. After a review meeting  the Chief Minister said that very soon the state will get 1.25 lakh doses of remdesivir injection. He directed officials to double the number of covid beds in each and every district of the state.The health department of state issued new guidelines to the private and government hospitals for better management of treatment. Now private hospitals are allowed to take admissions of covid patients up to 90 percent of their covid beds capacity and 10 percent will be reserved for reference admissions.

-The Health Ministry has issued a revised Clinical Guidance for Management of Adult COVID-19 Patients. The guidelines issued by AIIMS, ICMR-COVID-19 National Task Force and the Joint Monitoring Group DGHS under the Ministry said, under emergency use authorization, Remdesivir may be considered for only those patients with moderate to severe diseases requiring supplemental oxygen within 10 days of onset of symptoms. Remdesivir is not recommended for those with severe renal impairment or hepatic dysfunction. It said, Remdesivir not to be used in patients who are not on oxygen support or in home settings. The guidelines recommended Emergency Use Authorization or off-label use of Tocilizumab drug in case of severe diseases, preferably within 24 to 48 hours of the onset of the disease or ICU admission. It said, Tocilizumab may be considered in patients with significantly raised inflammatory markers and not improving despite use of steroids with there being no active bacterial or fungal or tubercular infection. The guidelines recommended off-label use of convalescent plasma only in the early moderate disease, preferably within seven days of symptom onset and only on availability of high titre donor plasma.

-In view of rising Corona cases in the country, Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board (SASB) has temporarily suspended the registration for this year's Yatra to the Amarnath Cave shrine.In a tweet, the Shrine Board said the COVID situation is being constantly monitored and registration will be reopened once the situation improves. The 56- day annual Amarnath Yatra will commence on June 28 and continue till August 22. The online registration for the yatra began on April 1, which now stands suspended.

-In Chhattisgarh, State Board of Secondary Education has cancelled the examinations of class X. The exams for the Class 12 have been postponed for the time being in view of the prevailing pandemic situation.Chhattisgarh Board of Secondary Education has postponed the examinations of class 12 to be held from 3rd May. The new timetable will be released once the situation of the Covid Pandemic improves.The Board has issued guidelines that the students of class 10 will be awarded marks based on the assignments issued by the board. If a student has not done the assignment, he will be awarded the minimum marks required to pass.Meanwhile, the Higher Education Department of Chhattisgarh has issued an order that no examination in the government and private universities will be conducted in offline mode during the current academic session. All exams will be online.