India is setting up a ₹15,000 crore emergency health fund to tackle the coronavirus pandemic and prepare the country’s health systems for future outbreaks, according to media reports. The fund will deploy about ₹7,800 crore towards immediate response — upgrading hospitals, procuring essential medical equipment and drugs as well as protective equipment for medical workers — and spend the remainder over 1-4 years in “mission mode”. A significant amount will be used to improve the country’s emergency response system and strengthen pandemic research. The number of confirmed coronavirus cases has crossed 6,400.