Sonia asks CMS of Cong-ruled states to step up vigil

NEW DELHI: Congress president Sonia Gandhi has written to the chief ministers of the states ruled by the party, asking them to mount an effective response mechanism to combat the coronavirus outbreak.

Writing that there is an urgent need for an effective domestic response, as the number of confirmed cases have spiked over the last week, Gandhi said that the capacity of public healthcare facilities must be augmented. The letters were sent to Madhya Pradesh chief minister Kamal Nath, Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot, Punjab CM Capt Amarinder Singh, Chhattisgarh’s Bhupesh Baghel and Puducherry CM V Narayanasamy.

“Increased disease surveillance, and strengthening the testing facilities could help early detection and containment. The State Government must lend all possible support to public health care responders to carry out their duty effectively,” Gandhi wrote.

“It is critical for the State Government to put in place effective response and preparedness measures. The capacity of public healthcare facilities must be augmented to respond to any potential outbreak,” the letter read.

Gandhi also said in her letter that the World Health Organization (WHO) had warned of severe shortage of personal protective equipment (PPE), especially for frontline health workers, and had estimated that manufacturers must increase production by 40% to meet requirements. She asked the state chief ministers to ensure adequate supply of the equipment and asked them to step up efforts to stop black marketing.