BJP government in Madhya Pradesh adopts Kerala model to tackle Covid-19

New Delhi: The BJP government in Madhya Pradesh has informed all district chiefs that the state has adopted Kerala’s strategy of tackling Covid-19 infection. Kerala has done better than the other states in containing its spread. This was conveyed by MP health commissioner Faiz Ahmed Kidwai in a letter issued on Wednesday. ET has seen a copy of the letter.

“In India, the Kerala model has been considered the most suitable (to tackle Covid-19) and they have followed WHO’s protocol of test, trace, isolate and support to form and implement a strategy,” Kidwai’s letter to all district magistrates and chief medical officers said. “While the first case was detected in Kerala in January, till May 25 only 896 cases have been found in entire state of Kerala.”

He said MP is now working on the same strategy to identify, isolate, test and treat virus patients and the same has become important to break the transmission chain in rural areas after the return of 1.382 million migrants to MP. MP has reported nearly 7,300 cases with 313 deaths, while Kerala has seen only seven deaths.

Highlighting 13 action points, Kidwai said all Covid-19 patients should be treated for free and hydroxychloroquin should be distributed free of cost to all frontline health workers in government and private hospitals.

“About 78% of people in the state are covered under Ayushman Bharat scheme, so they can avail cashless, free treatment at private hospitals empanelled under the scheme, and efforts be made to empanel all such private hospitals under the scheme,” the letter said. “The rest 22% people must be treated free at government hospitals and private hospitals with which the state government has entered into an MoU for free treatment.”