Govt approves Rs 15,000 crore emergency health fund to fight coronavirus

No Customs duty, health cess on ventilators, masks, PPE, and Covid-19 test kits for 6 months

The central government announced a coronavirus disease (Covid-19) emergency response and health system preparedness package of Rs 15,000 crore to support efforts to combat the pandemic and prepare for future outbreaks.

Of this, Rs 7,774 crore will be utilised for immediate response, the rest for medium-term support of 1-4 years, which would be provided under mission mode, a press statement said.

A major share of the expenditure will be used for mounting a robust emergency response system, strengthening pandemic research and multi-sector national institutions, and national and state health systems.

“The fund is specifically formed as an emergency response to