Set up e-dashboard, SOPs, involve NGOs for Covid management: NDMA to states

The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) asked the states on Thursday to set up an online dashboard and circulate standard operating procedures (SOPs) on Covid-19 management in regional languages with the help of civil society organisations and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in rural and tribal areas.

The development comes in the wake of Bihar revising its figure of total number of fatalities caused by Covid-19 to 9,429 from 5,424, according to the Union health ministry’s data on Thursday. A nodal officer appointed by the state governments will coordinate with the civil society groups and Ministry of Panchayati Raj, said officials.

The apex authority on disaster management, NDMA, held discussions with various stakeholders on testing, treatment, isolation of patients and vaccine. As many as 1,000 voluntary groups across various districts have been identified by the Centre to coordinate supply of oxygen, availability of medicines and ensure Covid-appropriate behaviour, said officials. They said an online dashboard is being set up at the panchayat level for monitoring of various interventions in rural areas.


For vaccination, the authorities sought to allay fears and stressed on the need for rapid coverage of people in rural areas. “For Covid-19 positive cases under home isolation, volunteer groups at panchayat level have been tasked to ensure delivery of essential services. Approvals will also be given by the state governments to NGOs for organising vaccine camps with state-run dispensaries and hospitals,” an official, who was part of the deliberations, said on condition of anonymity.

NGOs have turned to volunteers to implement the containment measures, under the relevant provisions of the Disaster Management Act, 2005, according to officials. In May, the Centre had advised the states and Union Territories to identify districts where either the test positivity had been more than 10 per cent in the past one week or where bed occupancy was more than 60 per cent.