Police, CRPF deployed outside newly designated COVID 19 hospitals

Srinagar, Mar 24: A day after converting SKIMS Bemina and two other hospitals into COVID hospitals, the authorities on Tuesday deployed police and paramilitary CRPF outside them.

Official sources said that security was deployed outside these hospitals which besides include SKIMS Bemina, Chest Disease Dalgate and JLNM Rainwari in order to ensure that movement of public is strictly prohibited.

The decision to convert the hospitals for covid-19 patients was taken at a review meeting under the chairmanship of Financial Commissioner, Health & Medical Education Department on Monday, sources said.

The government ordered that routine activities shall be closed in the hospitals immediately except for maternity services at JLNM hospital Rainawari.

Regarding CD hospital Srinagar, the government has decided the patients will be shifted to SMHS Hospital, Srinagar.

Following the decision, sources told GNS that Divisional Commissioner Kashmir visited SKIMS Bemina and directed the authorities to make it fully operational for Covid 19 only. He said all patients shall be vacated from the hospital and shifted to SMHS and SKIMS Soura.

The meeting under Financial commissioner also decided that newly constructed IPD facilities in Ganderbal, Pulwama, Shopian and Kupawara shall be utilized as isolation facilities.

“Police Hospital Srinagar shall be kept reserved for COVID isolation facilities.”

Dr. Wasim Qureshi, Registrar Academics GMC, Srinagar has been made overall in charge of isolation facilities in Kashmir division, read minutes of meeting.

Regarding Jammu, the government decided that Gandhinagar Hospital including new Block shall be converted to COVID only hospital and all routine IPD activities there shall be closed except routine OPD in the new OPD complex.

Managing Director JKMSCL was asked to ensure that all the 200 isolation beds are made available to the Gandhinagar Hospital by 7th of April.

The meeting also decided that GB Pant Hospital Jammu should be converted into Isolation Facility in consultation with the concerned authorities by March 31. “Director Coordination, New GMC’s J&K will coordinate with Divisional Commissioner Jammu so that isolation facility is readily available by given time.”

It also decided that the government Psychiatric Hospital, under GMC Jammu, shall be utilized as COVID only hospital. “The Patients in this Hospital shall be shifted to the CD Hospital, Jammu.”

It also decided that Police Hospital Jammu shall be kept reserved for COVID isolation facilities. “Newly Constructed IPD Blocks at SDH Bishnah & SDH, RS Pura shall keep in reserve for Isolation facilities.”

Regarding Isolation facilities in Private and other facilities, the government decided that the matter will be discussed with Army authorities to provide isolation facilities for civilian patients.

“ASCOMS Hospital Jammu & SMVD Narayana Hospital, Katra have agreed to reserve isolation facilities in their Hospitals. Other Private Hospitals in Jammu will also be approached by DHS Jammu to setup isolation facilities,” the meeting decided. Director Coordination, New GMCs J&K shall be overall in-charge for Isolation Facilities in Jammu Division, the meeting decided.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by The Kashmir Monitor staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)