Srinagar: A delegation of health experts and officials sent by the government of India to J&K suggested home isolation and providing pulse oximeters to Covid patients would be a game changer in controlling mortalities in Kashmir.
The visiting delegation comprising Dr RK Gupta, senior physician respiratory medicine and Dr Tanzin Dikid, Joint Director NCDC, New Delhi also recommended that a micro-level containment or red zones be declared for better implications besides suggesting few changes in treatment protocol and home isolation protocols. Development Commissioner, Ministry of Textile Shantamanu was also part of the visiting team.
They also recommended that the patient should report to a health institution after fall of oxygen saturation from 95 percent instead of 90 percent.
The team was on a visit to take stock of the preparedness of Jammu and Kashmir towards combating the COVID-19 pandemic. The team assessed the situation by visiting different health facilities to guide J&K for any improvement and assistance for further streamlining.
On behalf of the J & K government, Financial Commissioner Health & Medical Education, Atal Dulloo met the health experts from the government of India. Director Health Services Kashmir, Dr Samir Matto along with other epidemiologists were present on the occasion.
Dullo in his presentation informed the visiting delegation that the J & K administration is all set to deal with this global pandemic as the central government is extending all support towards augmenting health infrastructure in the UT to tackle the pandemic effectively.
He revealed that to combat this viral disease J&K has a total of 21664 isolation beds, 432 ICU beds, 454 ventilators and 5296 oxygen supported beds while some 342 ventilators are in transit and1630 oxygen outlets are to be installed in next two months, he added.
He said that establishment of more oxygen generation plants in 29 districts and associated hospitals are in pipeline for which Rs 150 crore have already been allocated by the UT government.
Dullo told the delegation that 170226 PPE kits, 222345 N-95 Masks, 13,94,439 triple layer masks, 91,808 sanitizers, 2,90,340 VTM, 2,60,372 RNA extraction kits and 1,45,000 Rapid Antigen (Point of Care) Test are available with our department.
The review team appreciated the response of the J&K government against the COVID 19 pandemic saying that the facilities being extended by the J&K Department of Health and Medical Education are far better than most of the states and UTs in India.
The team also acknowledged that the testing done in UT was highest in terms of per million population tested in the country.
Some other actionable points recommended by the review team included improvement in Infection Prevention Control (IPC) Mechanism, starting of regular/routine health services in hospitals to prevent surge in morbidity and mortality due to non COVID cases in near future, constitution of hospital based treatment guidelines committee for COVID management by including all senior consultants from departments, constitution of environment control committee in tertiary care institutions to suggest proper protocol for airflow and air exhaust from the isolation ICUs or Wards, death review committee for COVID should be constituted in all hospitals.
Dullo assured the visiting delegation that all these measures would be applied in letter and spirit.
He extended his gratitude to the team for giving suggestions that would go a long way in helping J&K to successfully tide over this global crisis.

KR Desk