Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya asserted India will never bargain on quality of medicines and always alert to ensure no one dies of spurious drugs.

COVID-19 UPDATE: Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya held a virtual meeting with health ministers of states to discuss and take stock of measures taken in view of rising Covid cases in China and other countries.

Highlighting the need to take steps to further strengthen the Medical Value Tourism, Mandaviya suggested establishing facilitation centres at the Indian embassies across the world for the people wanting to travel India for treatment.

Mandavia said the government’s e-Sanjeevani telemedicine system has provided services to more than 2.6 crore beneficiaries where people can seek medical advice from the confines of their homes. 

Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya released the postal stamp at a virtual programme, and termed India's vaccination drive as the "most successful in the world".

He also advised five States and one Union Territory to ensure that all kinds of oxygen infrastructure are functional and operational, in view of the surge in COVID-19 cases across the country.

The Centre has ramped up door-to-door vaccination in order to achieve the target of 100 per cent vaccination of the eligible population who are supposed to receive the jab.

Additionally, on Sunday, the daily rise in new coronavirus infections has remained below 50,000 for 161 consecutive days now. 

The B.1.1.529 Covid variant or Omicron, first detected in South Africa last week, was designated by the World Health Organisation as a 'variant of concern', the health body's top category for worrying coronavirus variants.  

The Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission has been launched recently by the prime minister to deal with any future pandemic and for strengthening health infrastructure, Mandaviya said.

The Union Health Minister also informed that under 'Har ghar dastak', healthcare workers are going to all houses to carry out the vaccination drive. 96 countries have recognised Covaxin & Covishield. People can see the list via CoWIN app.

According to the government data, around 75 per cent of India's all eligible adult population has been administered at least the first dose and around 32 per cent has received both doses of the vaccine. 

We can use drones in delivering important life-saving medicines, collecting blood samples, said Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya.

Mansukh Mandaviya attached the slogan 'Jai Anusandhan' to the feat, crediting PM Narendra Modi for fulfilling it.

Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Monday announced that the government will receive over 30 crore doses of COVID-19 vaccines in October and over 100 crore in the next three months.

Mandaviya is in Rome, Italy, for the G20 health ministers' meeting.

The information is powered by real-time data from the CoWIN APIs, and includes details like availability of appointment slots at each centre, vaccines and doses offered (Dose 1 or Dose 2), pricing (paid or free), and link to CoWIN website for booking, a statement said.

The meeting was held to discuss the Covishield supply and to ramp up the production in India. Minister Mandaviya assured the government's support in Covishield production.