<span style="color: #222222;">Prime Minister Narendra Modi today interacted with a Group of Doctors from across the country and discussed the Covid related situation through video conferencing. He thanked the entire medical fraternity and the paramedical staff for the exemplary fight displayed by them against the extraordinary circumstances of the second wave of COVID, adding that the entire country is indebted to them. </span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">He noted that be it testing, supply of medicines or set-up of new infrastructure in record time, all these are being done at a fast pace. Several challenges of oxygen production and supply are being overcome. The steps taken by the country to augment human resources, like including MBBS students in Covid treatment, and ASHAs and Anganwadi workers in rural areas, provided extra support to the health system.</span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;"> </span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">The Prime Minister underlined that the strategy of starting vaccination programmes with front line warriors has paid rich dividends in the second wave. About 90 per cent of the health professionals in the country have already taken the first dose. Vaccines have ensured safety of most of the doctors.</span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;"> </span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">The Prime Minister has urged doctors to include oxygen audit in their daily efforts. Noting that a large number of patients are undergoing treatment in 'home isolation', he requested the doctors to ensure that the home based care of every patient is SOP driven. He said that telemedicine has played a big role for patients in home isolation, and this service needs to be expanded in rural areas as well.</span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;"> </span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">The Prime Minister also discussed the challenge of Mucormycosis and said that doctors may need to put in extra effort towards taking active steps and spreading awareness about it. He further underscored the importance of psychological care, along with the importance of physical care.</span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;"> </span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">During the interaction, the Doctors thanked the Prime Minister for his guidance and leadership during the recent surge of cases. They also thanked the Prime Minister for prioritising the health care workers for vaccination. They informed the Prime Minister about their preparedness since the first wave of COVID and the challenges they faced in the second wave.</span><br />''  <br />