Rising COVID Cases In Odisha: Govt Directs Hospitals To Be In Readiness For Hospitalisation Of Patients

Bhubaneswar: With Odisha witnessing daily COVID cases in double digits for nearly 10 days, the state government has directed its major health facilities to remain prepared for hospitalisation of the patients.

In a letter to the directors of Capital Hospital in Bhubaneswar and RGH in Rourkela, CDMOs and superintendents of government medical colleges and hospitals on Monday, Niranjan Mishra, director, Public Health department said, “In view of the increasing number of COVID cases and as per the letter of the secretary of Health and Family Welfare department, all health facilities have to remain in readiness to manage any COVID cases requiring hospitalisation.”

Mishra, in the letter, issued instructions to be followed by the hospitals for the COVID patients. As per the directions, the SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack, MKCG in Berhampur, VIMSAR in Burla, and SLNMCH in Koraput have to earmark at least 20 beds for COVID patients with at least two ICU beds.

Similarly, all District Headquarters Hospitals (DHH) and medical colleges have to earmark at least 10 beds as isolation Covid facility with standby beds to increase capacity if required. All prefab newly-constructed Covid emergency blocks are to be kept in readiness with all logistics, the letter read.

All CHCs having prefab structures have to earmark six beds in it for Covid cases and all above Covid facilities have to be managed with existing manpower.

Besides, oxygen concentrators, oxygen cylinders, LMO, PSA are to be kept in readiness and working order. A contingency plan is to be prepared for any eventual rise in cases to be handled in each facility, the letter said.

Fever clinics along with walk-in COVID testing facilities have to be in place in all medical colleges, DHHs, SDHs & CHCs.

Besides, mock drills will be carried out on April 10 and 11 to take a stock of hospital preparedness including essential drugs, beds, including ICU beds, medical equipment, medical oxygen, capacity building of human resources on existing guidelines as well as vaccination coverage, the director said in the letter.