Firdous Hassan
Srinagar: Alarmed by a sharp spike in the coronavirus cases, Jammu and Kashmir government has decided to convert five public buildings into COVID Care Centres in Srinagar.
The building converted into new COVID Care Centres include marriage halls at Hyderpora and Sanat Nagar, Hajj House Bemina, IMPA building, and a government facility at Zakoora
A top officer told The Kashmir Monitor that COVID Care Centres will function under the supervision of SKIMS Medical College Bemina, GMC Srinagar, and SKIMS Soura. He said the new centres will only cater to asymptomatic patients.
“SKIMS Bemina shall provide the staff to three COVID Care Centres including marriage halls at Sanat Nagar and Hyderpora, and Hajj House Bemina. Similarly, GMC Srinagar will look after COVID Care Centre at IMPA. COVID Care Centre at Zakoora will be run by SKIMS Soura,” he said.
The official said new COVID Care Centres have been established following a sharp spike in the cases and shortage of beds in four premiere Covid-19 hospitals.
“The government is willing to create more infrastructure to deal with the pandemic. There has been an immense flow of Covid-19 patients from districts to SMHS, CD hospital, JLNM, SKIMS Bemina, and SKIMS Soura. The pressure on these hospitals requires to be reduced so that patients requiring critical care can be attended to,” he said.
Divisional Commissioner Kashmir PK Pole has also directed the Deputy Commissioners of Srinagar and Budgam to decongest the hospitals and accommodate asymptomatic patients in COVID Care Centres.
The divisional commissioner expressed displeasure for not shifting asymptomatic patients from SKIMS Bemina to COVID Care centres.
“Authorities from Budgam are not shifting positive patients from SKIMS Bemina to COVID care hospitals which have resulted in unnecessary occupancy of beds,” reads the order of the divisional commissioner.
In rural Kashmir, the government has activated Village Level Committees (VLC) and Block Development Corporations (BDC) to contain the spread of Covid-19.
The government has directed the Deputy Commissioners to create facilities at the village level. “Quarantine facility shall be created at village level in schools, panchayats, government buildings in consultation with the locals of the village through VLCs,” the order reads.
