WHO lauds Uttar Pradesh govt's COVID contact-tracing plan: '93% high-risk contacts traced'

Undertaking a massive exercise to assess Uttar Presh's Coronavirus (COVID-19) contact-tracing, World Health Organisation (WHO) on Thursday, lauded Yogi ityanath government's thorough contact-tracing which helped state fight pandemic. WHO's National Public Health Surveillance Project - aided with 800 on-ground monitoring staff assessed quality of contact tracing of 58,000 cases across 75 districts from 01-14 August 2020. Uttar Presh - India's densest state - has 5,07,602 confirmed cases with 7557 fatalities.

Uttar Presh imposes ESMA for six months, making all strikes unlawful in state

WHO: '90% contact-tracing' 

According to WHO, state government h employed  70,000 front line health workers to reach out to high-risk contacts of COVID-19 positive cases, recording as high as 90% cover. But to assess quality of contact tracing, WHO was roped in as cases were rising. WHO team's 800 field monitors conducted telephonic interviews of laboratory-confirmed positive cases through a pre-determined set of questions.

Uttar Presh ferries back 50,000 migrant labourers in 43 trains; 1 lakh return till date

interview findings revealed that aver number of high-risk contacts per positive case was 3.5. A total of 1,63,536 high-risk contacts were identified during this exercise by field monitors. 93% of high-risk contacts h been contacted and tested for COVID-19. Although only 7% of high-risk contacts were missed, re were 17 districts where more than 10% of high-risk contacts were t tested since y were t identified by district health teams.

" WHO team provided technical support to state government to boost contact tracing efforts and strengn capacity of field teams through training. Field monitors assessed quality of contact tracing of 58 000 COVID-19 positive cases in 75 districts and found that 93% of high-risk contacts were contacted and tested. This exercise helped government in strengning contact tracing in 17 districts where more than 12 000 high-risk contacts were missed for testing “, said Dr Mhup Bajpai, Regional Team Leer, Uttar Presh Region, WHO-NPSP. 

This effort helped in identification of several cases that would t have been orwise detected, thus controlling spre of virus. “ UP government’s strategic response to COVID-19 by stepping up contact tracing efforts is exemplary and can serve as a good example for or states”, he ds. Uttar Presh currently has tested over 1 crore samples till date, highest for any state.

Uttar Presh govt's website to celebrate virtual Deepotsav crashes on Diwali eve

UP's migrant plan

Yogi government has also been lauded for assisting migrant labourers by arranging buses and facilitating Shramik trains amid a massive migrant exodus from cities amid lockdown. Uttar Presh government h instructed all district magistrates to arrange buses for migrant workers, who are found walking on foot, to send m to ir homes. It has also passed an ordinance suspending all labour laws for three years except -Building and Or Construction Workers' Act, 1996, Workmen Compensation Act, 1923, Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act, 1976, Part of Payment of Ws Act, to attract investment. UP government actively chalked out a strategy to bring back stranded workers in a phased manner. It has also anunced "Mission Rojgar", over 50 lakh youth will get a chance to apply for jobs in government departments as well as private sector by March 2021.

Uttar Presh govt plans to generate over 50 lakh jobs by March