GANDERBAL/BUDGAM: Pledging to make the life of people better, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Thursday said his government is making sustainable investment in the clinical workforce to build a resilient health infrastructure in order to combat the ongoing crisis and future emergencies.
Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha made these remarks during his visit to Ganderbal to review the Covid situation in the district. Lt Governor also visited Budgam and assessed the containment efforts being undertaken by the district administration and health department to effectively tackle the Covid pandemic.
During his visit, he took a first-hand appraisal of the healthcare facilities for patients at District Hospital Ganderbal; DCHC Chanapora and Covid Care Facility, Nagam, Budgam.
While taking a detailed assessment of the availability of the Medicare equipment in the hospitals, he directed the health department to ensure the functioning of ventilators and other life-saving equipment, besides compulsory training of human resources for operationalization of these equipment.
“Each hospital in the UT would submit a comprehensive report on Healthcare Assets utilization on a weekly basis. We can protect and strengthen J&K by collaborative action against the Covid-19 pandemic. My sincere thanks and gratitude to all those abiding by Covid protocol. I urge everyone not to be careless, and maintain the discipline to effectively combat the deadly virus”, he said
Lt Governor said doctors, nurses, and frontline warriors like Babli Rani, Dr. Tazyeen Younis, and additional SP Feroz Yehya are the backbone of the health system. “They have served the people with utmost dedication to save lives,” he said.
Emphasizing aggressive vaccination and testing to break the chain of transmission, Sinha underlined the need to act more holistically and protect those who are most vulnerable.
“While we have reformed our health system and decentralized community healthcare, we must accelerate vaccination & testing for vulnerable groups and mobilize all necessary resources for continuous assistance,” he said
“Making optimum utilization of Covid Care Centers in Panchayats with community contribution, especially in areas where home isolation is not feasible, needs to be done. Besides, areas with high positivity rate need to be identified and declared as micro containment zones so that preventive measures can be taken to break the spread of the virus,” he added.
Directions were also passed to the Divisional Commissioner Kashmir and DC Budgam for speeding up the development works, setting of a new district Hospital, Urdu university, besides expansion and up-gradation of rural roads in the district.
While appreciating the efforts Ganderbal district administration for achieving the milestone of 100 % coverage of the first dose of vaccine among above 45 years age group, he asked the DC to share the good practices with other districts as well.
Deputy Commissioner, Ganderbal, Krittika Jyotsna, gave an overview of the Covid containment measures being taken by the district administration.
She informed that the Nodal officers have been appointed for monitoring of vaccination centers and micro-containment zones. This innovative method of real-time monitoring has made a huge difference to accelerate the vaccination process in the district. Besides, 1200 people are under home isolation in Ganderbal and 24×7 Control rooms are operational to facilitate the patients. 1358 Covid kits have been distributed under Covid management efforts.
She said Covid Care Centers (CCC) have been established in all the Panchayats of the district with RAT testing facility at every CCC.
Regarding oxygen supply, it was informed that a 1000 LPM capacity oxygen generation plant is fully functional at DH Ganderbal.
Shahbaz Ahmad d d Mirza, Deputy Commissioner, Budgam, while giving the overview of the Covid containment measures apprised the Lieutenant Governor that 80% of HCWs, 73% FLWs, and 77% above 45 years age-group have been covered with the first dose of vaccine.
“500 LPM oxygen capacity at DCHC Chanapora is meeting the requirements of the patients. 08 Isolation facilities (Level-II Hospital) having a bed capacity of 437 with 299 beds with oxygen facilities, while 08 COVID-19 Care Centers with a bed capacity of 965. 10587 patients recovered so far, besides 2699 Covid kits have been distributed in the district,” he said.
The DC further informed that Covid Care Centers in all 296 Panchayats of the District are established. A total of 12 Covid Control Rooms (24×7) is functional in the District and around 25820 calls have made to patients in Home Isolation. Also, 24 Senior Doctors/Consultants are available for Tele-Medicine services across the District, and 3725 people have been served with telemedicine services.
Door to Door surveillance by Medical Teams being done and PRIs, NGOs, and religious leaders have been roped in for IEC activities. NGO Mother Foundation Association was also roped in to provide specialized Tele-Consultation services to the general populace, he added.
Lieutenant Governor was accompanied by Dr. Arun Kumar Mehta, Chief Secretary; Nitishwar Kumar, Principal Secretary to the Lt Governor; Pandurang K Pole, Divisional Commissioner Kashmir; Vijay Kumar, IGP Kashmir; Mohammad Aijaz, Deputy Commissioner, Srinagar; Dr. Mushtaq Ahmad Rather, Director Health Services, Kashmir and other senior officers.
