Jammu, March 23 (IANS): The J&K government has drawn up a comprehensive plan to deal with the coronavirus pandemic by increasing isolation, quarantine facilities and availability of healthcare personnel across the Union Territory.
It has decided to stop routine activities at identified hospitals, converting others into isolation and quarantine facilities and mobilise human resources to run them. The decision was taken at a review meeting chaired by Atal Dulloo, Financial Commissioner, Health and Medical Education Department, here on Monday.
The government has decided to dedicate the Government Hospital, Jammu, and newly constructed 200-bed block for Covid-19 suspects. GB Pant Hospital, Satwari, Jammu, will be made functional for isolation facilities. Psychiatric Hospital, Jammu, will also be converted into isolation facility.
The patients of Psychiatric Hospital will be shifted to C.D. Hospital, Jammu.
In the Kashmir division, apart from increasing isolation facilities at hospitals, the government has decided to convert SKIMS Medical College, C.D. Hospital, JLNM Hospital, and Police Hospital in Srinagar into isolation facilities.
It was also decided to set up isolation beds at the newly constructed IPD blocks in the district hospitals of Ganderbal, Pulwama, Shopian and Kupwara.
Dulloo asked officials to mobilise human resources and necessary equipment to make these isolation facilities fully functional. A duty roster of specialists and doctors be prepared for the effective functioning of isolation facilities, he added.
Medical officers will be trained on urgent basis for management of ventilators, and nurses and paramedics be trained for handling suspected coronavirus patients. The officers have been asked to mobilise paramedical personnel and maintain a reserve pool of such persons.
Hospitals have been asked to suspend all non-essential and elective surgeries, and be prepared for redeployment of doctors, specialists and paramedical staff to tackle Covid-19 cases. Services of NHM/ISM doctors and mid-level health providers from the health and wellness centre will also be used.
The meeting also decided to expedite walk-in interviews for medical officers by the National Health Mission.