BUDGAM: Development Commissioner Handicraft, Union Ministry of Textiles and Nodal Officer Covid-19 for UTs of J&K and Ladakh, Shantmanu accompanied by a team of senior doctors representing Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Friday visited Budgam to take stock of measures being taken up by the administration towards containment of the pandemic.
The team, after arriving in the Valley, visited designated COVID care centers at SKIMS, SMHS Hospital, SKIMS Bemina and CD Hospital a day ago.
The team visited containment zones in Soura and Lal Bazar and inspected some patient care wards, Covid care centers, sample collection centers and a few red zones in the vicinity to assess the facilities being extended to people there.
At Budgam, Shantmanu along with DDC Budgam, SA Mirza convened a meeting with all concerned officers including Nodal Officers engaged with Covid-19 related duty in the district.
The DC apprised the team in detail about overall containment measures being taken up by the administration since the outbreak of COVID-19.
Mirza said there are 1899 positive patients in the district. Of them, 1450 have recovered fully and 46 Covid deaths were reported in Budgam.
There are 8 Covid care centers having 965 bed capacity in the district and administration is keeping close monitoring on the required facilities envisaged for home quarantine.
He said that for better containment procedures, the administration approached community heads, religious scholars, Imams, PRIs and other NGOs and appealed them to use their influence and approach in their respective areas and prepare common masses to follow and adhere to all SOPs and other guidelines regarding the virus.
Shantmanu said that all concerned medical and para-medical staff shall be specially trained and capable of handling any crisis relating to Covid-19 care.
He said adequate facilities shall be ensured in all established quarantine centers.
Shantmanu said there is a need for rapid antigen testing (RTA) in order to trace the affected persons before things might get complicated.
He said measures are afoot to establish more testing centers as there is huge demand to establish them in each district. He informed soon there will be art of living camps where trained doctors and field experts will conduct the sessions.
The team, later, visited various quarantine and Covid care centers established in different areas of the district.

KR Desk