Guidelines For COVID Protocol In Healthcare Facilities Issued In Odisha

Bhubaneswar: Taking into consideration the recent resurgence in COVID cases in Odisha, the state health department issued some guidelines and a letter to the superintendents of all Medical College and Hospitals in Odisha.

The guidelines include strict enforcement of COVID appropriate behaviour in hospitals with infection control measures.

• Central registration will be suspended for the time being and manual registration will be taken up with due social distancing measure in each OPD to avoid large gathering at the Central Registration Counter.
• Non-essential admission will be avoided in the hospital, mentioned the letter.
• The guidelines also include only emergency surgeries to be conducted and all elective surgeries to be stopped
• Only one attendant will be allowed for serious indoor patients. No attendant will be allowed inside the ward for an ambulatory patient.
• Doctors in the OPD have been advised against calling patients for frequent re-visits unless required.
• The media will not be allowed inside the OPD and IPD.
• The number of DDC counters should be increased and social distancing enforced.
• Dedicated fever clinic, isolation ward, and testing facilities to be established as per previous guidelines.
• All hospitals must have facilities to deal with all types of emergency procedures including maternity and child care with COVID prevention protocol, mentioned in the letter.