New Delhi, Sep 1 (IANS): Union Health and Family Welfare Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Wednesday spoke with his counterparts in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu to take stock of the Covid situation in these states.

As Covid cases are rising in Kerala, he discussed matters related to Covid-19 management in those areas of these two states bordering Kerala, and highlighted the need to take adequate steps to contain inter-state spread of the disease.

Mandaviya also asked the two state Health Ministers to increase the pace of vaccination in their bordering districts, as it forms an integral component of the Centre's five-point strategy to fight the pandemic, which also includes Test, Track, Treat and COVID Appropriate Behaviour.

In a separate development, Mandaviya also reviewed the supply and availability of Covid-related essential medicines across the country.

He was apprised that sufficient stocks of all the essential medicines are available, and raw materials for them are also available in enough quantities in India.

A strategic buffer stock has been created for eight drugs - Tocilizumab, Methyl Predinisolone, Enaxopirin, Dexamethasone, Remdesivir, Amphotericin B Deoxycholate, Posaconazole, and Intravenous Immunoglobilin (IVIG). All these medicines have been found in good quantity in the country.