The Centre on Thursday asked states and Union Territories to ensure adequate buffer stock of the eight critical drugs used for clinical treatment of Covid-19 and advised them to review the readiness of hospitals to deal with any possible surge in cases.

Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan urged the health Secretaries and NHM MDs of states and UTs to ensure that all health facilities have functional ventilators, PSA plants and oxygen concentrators. States and Union territories were told to enhance testing and focus on surveillance.