Srinagar: The administration has announced the start of 3rd wave of Covid-19 in Kashmir and among other measures, ordered the establishment of Triage Centres besides designating all those hospitals as “dedicated Covid Hospitals” which were earmarked for such purpose previously.

As per minutes of the meeting regarding implementation of mitigation measures for the control of “3rd wave,” Divisional Commissioner Kashmir P K Pole stressed upon the application of fundamental Principles of Patient Care Management of asymptomatic Covid Positive patients in Home Isolation and in hospitals.

“(Divisional Commissioner) informed that so far the nature of the 3rd Wave of Covid-19 has been very mild and the cases require symptom based treatment which can be given to them at primary Health Centres,” reads the minutes of the meeting. “As such it is imperative that such primary health centres including Panchayat Covid Care Centres be strengthened with men and machinery,” the divisional commissioner said and ordered action in this regard by Chief Medical Officers.

The Divisional Commissioner also directed for establishment of Triage Centres—two in each district, one at District Hospital and other at Sub-District Hospital. “All the necessary staff/logistics shall be put in place in these Triage Centres,” he said, adding, “All positive cases in the district shall attend the Triage Centre on getting a positive Covid- 19 test report and their further destination shall be decided by the Medical Team at the Triage Centre.” In this regard, action has been ordered to be taken by all Deputy Commissioners and Chief Medical Officers.

He also directed designating all those Hospitals as “Dedicated Covid Hospitals” which were earmarked for such purpose during 2nd wave. “Director SKIMS, Principal GMC Sgr/Ant/Bmr/SKIMS- MCH Bernina have been asked to issue orders,” the minutes of meeting reads further

He also directed designation of Special Beds and Wards for Covid-19 positive pregnant ladies.

“In order to prevent overwhelming of health care facilities due to upsurge in Covid-19 cases, the Divisional Commissioner Kashmir directed that OPD and Elective Surgeries be put on hold,” he said.

He said that in view of huge surge in cases, more manpower may be required to deal with any eventuality. “In this connection the Divisional Commissioner Kashmir instructed for roping in manpower from other departments,” it reads, adding, “The Health Teams constituted for monitoring of home isolation cases be also supplemented with additional manpower roped in from other departments, the chair stressed.”

In order to review the status of Covid-19, the minutes of meeting state that the Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir shall hold weekly review meetings on every Tuesday with Districts and the Deputy Commissioners shall hold review meetings of their districts on every Monday.

“Besides, every hospital shall conduct a 10 to 15 minutes meeting on every alternate day to access the implementation of CAB in their Hospitals and infection control measures.

The Divisional Commissioner also directed all the Deputy Commissioners to activate the District Control/war Rooms for covid-19 in their respective districts.

The Divisional Commissioner directed constituting District Monitoring/ Supervisory teams who shall monitor and supervise the Home Isolation Surveillance and delivery of Covid-19 kits. “They shall submit report to this office on weekly basis as per the format to be shared By DCCRK.”

He also stressed for testing of all symptomatic cases for Covid-19.

The divisional commissioner instructed the Director SKIMS, Principal GMC Srinagar and Principal MCH-Bemina Srinagar to depute final year MBBS students and final year Nursing/Paramedic students to Deputy Commissioner Srinagar for further deployment as per requirement.

KR Desk