Jammu: Lieutenant Governor, Manoj Sinha on Tuesday directed the health officials to scale up testing and vaccination for COVID-19 besides reaching out to the people with necessary information for fighting the pandemic.
He issued these directions during the visit to Kathua and Samba districts for on the spot appraisal of medical facilities being extended to the people at GMC Kathua, and District Hospital & Covid Care Centre at Samba.
During his visits, the LG took a comprehensive review of the Covid containment measures in these districts, an official press release informed.
It said LG asked the health officials to ensure best healthcare facilities for the patients and directed the senior doctors to increase rounds in Covid-19 wards.
“Ensure effective Covid clinical management and strict compliance of referral policy for hospitals,” he added.
While interacting with doctors and other medical staff, the LG reviewed the steps taken by hospitals and directed them to prepare for future challenges. He emphasized on continuous training of nursing and paramedical staff working in the rural areas.
“It is our collective responsibility to ensure the availability of necessary medicare facilities, besides putting in best efforts to contain the spread of coronavirus and save precious lives through prompt response,” the LG told the officers.
While enquiring about the availability of ventilators, oxygen-supported beds, human resources, functionality of oxygen generation plants, besides testing and vaccination drives in these districts, the LG directed the hospital authorities to increase the existing Covid-dedicated beds, besides augmenting oxygen availability in the hospitals within fixed timelines.
“Scale up testing and vaccination with dedicated focus on vulnerable groups. Reach out to people with all Covid-19 related important information,” the LG added.
He also enquired about the status of medical staff, availability of telemedicine services, distribution of Covid management kits, mobile vaccination, and other initiatives taken by district administrations for Covid mitigation.
He also reviewed the progress being made for developing new medical infrastructure in the District Hospital to augment the medical facilities, besides reviewing the establishment of Panchayat level Covid-care facilities. He also inspected the under-construction new OPD Block at District Hospital Samba and directed for its timely completion.
Deputy Commissioner, Samba, Anuradha Gupta informed the LG that 101 Panchayats of district have established Covid-care centres with five-bed capacity, besides 100 percent achievement in vaccination of health-care workers, and 98 percent of above 45 years age group has been achieved. 24×7 telemedicine services and Covid control room have been established in DC office alongwith e-passes facility, she added.
At Kathua, Dr. Anjali Nadir Bhat, Principal GMC Kathua, gave the present status of Covid-care infrastructure and availability of healthcare facilities at GMC Kathua.
Deputy Commissioner Kathua, Rahul Yadav apprised the LG about the Covid control measures taken by the administration to contain the spread of coronavirus in the district.
He informed that a total of 213 Covid-care centres have been established at Panchayats; around 1137 patients have been facilitated with tele-medicine facilities, besides 1849 Covid kits were distributed.
It was further informed that 70 percent vaccination of above 45 years age group has been achieved, besides 98 percent healthcare and frontline workers have been covered.
Emphasizing on vaccinating all the population falling under the targeted age groups, the LG directed the DC to ramp up the vaccination drive with dedicated focus on rural areas.
Earlier, the LG visited Covid-care facility at Bhargava College in Samba, took assessment of the additional healthcare facilities being augmented in the district and arrangements being made there for treatment of Covid patients.
