CoWIN portal in Hindi, 14 regional languages soon
Skip to main content
  • Home
  • Economy
  • Stocks
  • Analysis
  • World+Biz
  • Sports
  • Splash
  • Features
  • Videos
  • Long Read
  • Games
  • Epaper
  • More
    • COVID-19
    • Bangladesh
    • Infograph
    • Interviews
    • Offbeat
    • Thoughts
    • Podcast
    • Quiz
    • Tech
    • Subscribe
    • Archive
    • Trial By Trivia
    • Magazine
    • Supplement
  • বাংলা
The Business Standard
SUNDAY, MAY 29, 2022
SUNDAY, MAY 29, 2022
  • Home
  • Economy
  • Stocks
  • Analysis
  • World+Biz
  • Sports
  • Splash
  • Features
  • Videos
  • Long Read
  • Games
  • Epaper
  • More
    • COVID-19
    • Bangladesh
    • Infograph
    • Interviews
    • Offbeat
    • Thoughts
    • Podcast
    • Quiz
    • Tech
    • Subscribe
    • Archive
    • Trial By Trivia
    • Magazine
    • Supplement
  • বাংলা
CoWIN portal in Hindi, 14 regional languages soon

Coronavirus chronicle

Hindustan Times
19 May, 2021, 10:00 am
Last modified: 19 May, 2021, 10:12 am

Related News

  • Iconic songs of Lata Mangeshkar
  • 'Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah' famed Ghanshyam Nayak dies aged 77
  • TBS World: 'Portal' connects different cities
  • Facebook unveils new Portal video chat, TV streaming devices

CoWIN portal in Hindi, 14 regional languages soon

The official made the announcement at a high-level meeting chaired by Union health minister Harsh Vardhan with a group of ministers on the Covid situation

Hindustan Times
19 May, 2021, 10:00 am
Last modified: 19 May, 2021, 10:12 am
A health worker registering a person on the CoWin app for Covid-19 vaccination. (Sunil Ghosh/HT file photo)
A health worker registering a person on the CoWin app for Covid-19 vaccination. (Sunil Ghosh/HT file photo)

The CoWIN platform, which is the backbone of the Covid-19 vaccine delivery system in the country, will be made available in Hindi and 14 regional languages by next week, Union health secretary Rajesh Bhushan said on Monday.

The official made the announcement at a high-level meeting chaired by Union health minister Harsh Vardhan with a group of ministers on the Covid situation.

"This was in the pipeline for some time keeping in mind the convenience of people who are not comfortable with the English language. The portal will be tweaked accordingly," a government official familiar with the developments said, requesting anonymity.

Vardhan, meanwhile, told the meeting that the Centre has decided to add 17 more laboratories to the Indian Sars-Cov-2 Genomics Consortium (INSACOG) to scale up genome sequencing of samples of Covid-19 patients, taking the network of advanced laboratories to 27 across the country.

"Seventeen new labs are going to be added to the INSACOG network to increase the number of samples screened and allow for more spatial analysis. The network is presently served by 10 labs located at different corners of the country," he said.

According to the INSACOG data shared by the government till May 5, 18,453 samples were genome sequenced of which 3,532 were found to be variants of concern. The United Kingdom-identified variant, B.1.1.7 lineage, was found predominant in samples collected in Punjab and Chandigarh between February and March this year.

India's Covid-19 testing capacity has also been scaled up to 2.5 million per day amid a surge in cases.

Dr Balaram Bhargava, secretary, department of health research, and director of general Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), spoke on the innovative changes in testing policy that would widen its scope of application and help in mass screening for Covid-19, particularly in peri-urban and rural settings where health infrastructure is relatively weak.

"The deployment of mobile reverse transcription- polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) testing vans and amplification of rapid antigen tests was the way forward. While the present capacity is around 25 lakhs (RT-PCR -13 lakh and RAT- 12 lakh), this is projected to exponentially increase to 45 lakhs (RT PCR-18 lakh and RAT- 27 lakh) under the new testing regimen," he said at the meeting.

To check the demand and supply of essential medicines, a dedicated cell has been created by the department of pharmaceuticals.

"A dedicated cell has been created to coordinate production and allocation of drugs in demand to treat Covid-19. Manufacturers have been advised to increase the production of drugs. The three-pronged strategy undertaken includes identification of new suppliers and addressing operative issues faced by suppliers exploring all the possible ways to meet the demand; national distribution of drugs to states to avoid hoarding in drug-producing states, constant monitoring of the supply chain and quick resolution of issues between states and suppliers; and enforcement against hoarding and black-marketing was also initiated through the drugs controller general of India and state drugs controllers," S Aparna, secretary, department of pharmaceutical, said.

The focus was particularly on the procurement and allocation of the antiviral drug, remdesivir, immunosuppressant, tocilizumab, and antifungal amphotericin-B.

"Remdesivir production has more than tripled in the country with government intervention from around 39 lakh to 118 lakh vials per month. The demand for Amphotericin-B which is used for treatment of Mucormycosis has also increased. Five suppliers have been identified and efforts are being made for optimal allocation of the drug. States were given 1 lakh vials from 1st to 14th May, 2021, while avenues for import are being actively explored," a statement by the health ministry read.

World+Biz / South Asia

CoWin / Portal / Hindi

Comments

While most comments will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive, moderation decisions are subjective. Published comments are readers’ own views and The Business Standard does not endorse any of the readers’ comments.

Top Stories

  • Bankers unhappy with uniform exchange rate
    Bankers unhappy with uniform exchange rate
  • Finance projects export fall, remittance rise
    Finance projects export fall, remittance rise
  • Road crash kills 10 in Barishal 
    Road crash kills 10 in Barishal 

MOST VIEWED

  • A woman wearing a face mask crosses a road at the Central Business District (CBD), amid the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) outbreak in Beijing, China May 10, 2022. REUTERS/Carlos Garcia Rawlins
    Shanghai takes further steps towards reopening, Beijing eases Covid curbs
  • Photo: Collected
    US doctors reconsider Pfizer's Paxlovid for lower-risk Covid patients
  • People wearing protective face masks walk on a street, following new cases of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19), in Shanghai, China August 25, 2021. REUTERS/Aly Song
    'Tomorrow will be better': Shanghai inches towards Covid re-opening
  • North Korea says new fever cases under 100,000 as virus fight heats up
    North Korea says new fever cases under 100,000 as virus fight heats up
  • People in protective suits cross a street during lockdown, amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, in Shanghai, China, May 26, 2022. REUTERS/Aly Song
    Shanghai heading out of lockdown but China still lost in economic gloom
  • A woman wearing a face mask crosses a road at the Central Business District (CBD), amid the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) outbreak in Beijing, China May 10, 2022. REUTERS/Carlos Garcia Rawlins
    Tightening Covid net, Beijing deals out punishments, stark warnings

Related News

  • Iconic songs of Lata Mangeshkar
  • 'Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah' famed Ghanshyam Nayak dies aged 77
  • TBS World: 'Portal' connects different cities
  • Facebook unveils new Portal video chat, TV streaming devices

Features

Photo: Collected

Top 3 The Ordinary products that give extraordinary results

1h | Mode
Photo: Courtesy

KVN Beauty: Channel your inner Bangalee baddie

1h | Mode
CholPori is planning to roll out their platform in schools so teachers can utilise their tools for the classroom. Photo: Courtesy

CholPori: Where learning is practical, fun and inclusive

42m | Panorama
Rebecca Ivey. Illustration: TBS

How China’s efforts are advancing global development

1h | Thoughts

More Videos from TBS

Photo: TBS

Tips to help you become a successful lawyer

2h | Videos
People bid adieu to Abdul Gaffar Chowdhury

People bid adieu to Abdul Gaffar Chowdhury

2h | Videos
Photo: TBS

Harassment over 'indecent clothing': Women gather at Narsingdi railway station to protest, show solidarity

2h | Videos
Attorney General's suggestion to reduce case clutter

Attorney General's suggestion to reduce case clutter

15h | Videos

Most Read

1
Bangladesh Bank GM, DGM’s designation changed
Banking

Bangladesh Bank GM, DGM’s designation changed

2
Corporates go cashless…tax cut on cards
NBR

Corporates go cashless…tax cut on cards

3
Photo: Courtesy
Panorama

Misfit Technologies: A Singaporean startup rooted firmly in Bangladesh

4
British International Investment (BII) CEO Nick O’Donohoe. Illustration: TBS
Economy

BII to invest $450m in Bangladesh in 5 years

5
Representational image. Picture: Pixabay
Economy

Govt raises regulatory duty to discourage imports of 130 products

6
Photo: Collected
Industry

Spanish recycled cotton producer opens new facility in Bangladesh

The Business Standard
Top
  • Home
  • Entertainment
  • Sports
  • About Us
  • Bangladesh
  • International
  • Privacy Policy
  • Comment Policy
  • Contact Us
  • Economy
  • Sitemap
  • RSS

Contact Us

The Business Standard

Main Office -4/A, Eskaton Garden, Dhaka- 1000

Phone: +8801847 416158 - 59

Send Opinion articles to - oped.tbs@gmail.com

For advertisement- sales@tbsnews.net

Copyright © 2022 THE BUSINESS STANDARD All rights reserved. Technical Partner: RSI Lab