Srinagar, Feb 01: The Divisional Commissioner Kashmir, Baseer Ahmad Khan on Saturday said that Divisional Administration is geared to meet any exigency in case of coronavirus outbreak.
He made these remarks in a meeting convened to review the preparedness in this regard.
According to an official press release, he directed Deputy Commissioners (DCs) and officers of health institutions to generate mass awareness regarding the symptoms and preventive methods to tackle coronavirus disease across the Valley, if detected.
“Masjid Imams, Panchs, Sarpanchs, doctors, police and media should be roped in to disseminate health advisory to the public regarding the Corona Virus disease,” Div Com directed.
He asked the concerned to maintain a travel inventory of students, businessmen and traders in each district, from December 01, 2019, who have been travelling to China and other reportedly infected countries.
Domestic and foreign tourists should also be enquired with regard to the coronavirus disease symptoms, in a humble manner, he added.
He directed the DCs to setup 24×7 helpline and publicize the contact numbers through mass media.
The meeting was informed that no coronavirus infected case was reported in the Valley till date. However, the administration has activated “Rapid Response teams” and made arrangements to tackle the disease.
The meeting was informed that, health check-up camps were established at airport, main railway stations along with teams of doctors, paramedics with special ambulance service for preliminary screening of the travellers.
It was given out that GMC has set up 26 beds, SKIMS 25 in Srinagar district besides DHSK has kept 52 beds available across Kashmir Division with isolation wards and ventilators in each hospital and PHCs.
“Besides, VTM kits, personal protection gears and dedicated staff of microbiologist have also been kept in ready mode. The GMC has stored 11,500 triple layer, 7000 N-95 masks while as SKIMS has stored 10,000 N-95. Moreover, 2 lakh triple layer masks will reach valley within a day,” the meeting was informed.
The Divisional Commissioner exhorted DCs and concerned officers to adopt multi-pronged strategy including deployment of screening teams with doctors at block level, besides roping in ASHA workers.
He asked the concerned to launch an intense awareness in rural belts and remote areas of Kashmir division. Besides, printing pamphlets regarding do’s and don’ts of coronavirus disease in Urdu, Kashmiri and English languages and distributed the same in these areas, at airport, railway stations, different locations on national highway and other congested places. He asked the concerned to ply announcement vehicles on highways on daily basis.
“Bio-medical and other wastes related to patients, if any, kept in isolation wards be lifted separately and disposed-off by incinerating as per the advisory of Health & Medical Education department besides, setting up adequate beds at PCR hospital and other district police hospitals with all facilities,” he further added.
The Divisional Commissioner Kashmir stressed DCs and concerned officers to remain alert regarding coronavirus disease and press surveillance teams on 24X7 jobs. Officials should maintain inter district, departmental coordination and submit real time information to the Div Com office on daily basis.
Deputy Commissioner Srinagar, Dr. Shahid Iqbal Choudhary, Additional Commissioner Kashmir, Tasaduq Hussain Mir, Directors of Health Services & SKIMS, Principal GMC, senior Regional Director, Health & Medical Education, SSP Srinagar, Assistant Commissioner (central) with Div Com, Senior Doctors of Health Services & SKIMS, Officers of Airport Authority of India and other concerned officers were present in the meeting where as other Deputy Commissioners (DCs) of the Kashmir Division participated the meeting through video conferencing.
