JAMMU, MAY 06: Lieutenant Governor, Manoj Sinha today directed for increasing the additional 1325 bed capacity with oxygen support in Jammu Division within five days which will complement the Government’s efforts for strengthening and improving the health infrastructure, especially the Covid-19 treatment facilities in the region. The Lt Governor was chairing a meeting to review the evolving Covid situation and containment measures taken thereof, in which, Senior Doctors, Health officials, Chief Medical Officers and Deputy Commissioners of Jammu Division participated, in person and through virtual mode. While taking district-wise review of the Covid scenario, the Lt Governor enquired about the number of Covid dedicated beds in the GMCs and private hospitals, and directed the concerned Principals and Directors of private hospitals including ASCOMS and SMVD Narayana Hospital to augment the bed capacity with oxygen support system. The Lt Governor stressed on accelerating the work to meet the increasing demand for healthcare facilities at City, District Hospitals & Community Health Centres. Underlining the importance of putting in place a comprehensive patient-care mechanism, the Lt Governor said that Doctors are best trained to handle the situation and asked the senior Doctors to reach out to every patient admitted in the hospitals and effectively utilize their experience for better patient-care. Devote yourself wholeheartedly in serving the people and providing quality medicare to Covid patients, the Lt Governor urged the Doctors. CMOs were instructed to actively involve themselves in covid care management in their respective health institutions. The meeting discussed the availability of Covid dedicated beds in tertiary care Covid hospitals, and District Hospitals, status of Oxygen Generation plants that are installed in GMCs, besides increasing the number of Covid dedicated beds, and facilitating the adequate availability of oxygen supply in health institutions. The meeting was informed that Oxygen Generation Plants at Rajouri, Reasi and Samba are already functional and additional capacity would be added to GMC Jammu that will cater to the requirement of oxygen, besides helping in enhancing the bed capacity with oxygen support. It was further informed that Oxygen Plants at Kathua and Doda will be made functional soon. Terming increased testing and vaccination as imperative in combating Covid-19 pandemic, the Lt Governor directed the concerned officers to ensure rigorous testing and contact tracing, besides intensifying the vaccination drive to saturate the inoculation of the targeted population with the dose of Covid vaccine. Testing and Vaccination should be priority. Streamline the process and enable more individuals to get tested and vaccinated faster, the Lt Governor instructed DCs & CMOs. He further directed for effective implementation of restrictions in micro-containment zones to control the spread of the deadly virus. Emphasizing on optimal utilization of medical staff in peripheral hospitals, the Lt Governor directed the CMOs for rationalizing doctors and paramedical staff for duties in Covid care hospitals on rotation basis. The Principals and Heads of Medical College Hospitals were directed to ensure strict compliance of Hospital referral policy, besides ensuring triaging. The Lt Governor further directed the concerned officers to ensure availability of doctors for consultation through online mode also, in all the districts. Laying special emphasis on continued and collaborative efforts at all levels of the administration in the fight against Covid-19, the Lt Governor asked the officers to formulate an effective rapid response mechanism so that proactive steps can be taken to deal with the emerging situation. The Lt Governor asked the DCs to engage PRIs in Covid management and formulate small Covid management groups to facilitate the Covid containment measures. The Lt Governor advised the Principals and CMOs to employ retired Doctors and paramedical staff in Covid management services. Hire interns and final year medical students to increase the manpower in health sector, he added. Taking cognizance of the media reports regarding Coivd-19 management in the hospitals across the UT, the Lt Governor directed the concerned functionaries to ensure that doctors are available at the hospitals and every individual seeking medicare is attended with full dedication. The Lt Governor praised the noble services of doctors and paramedical staff especially in the trying times of Covid pandemic, and urged them to continue working wholeheartedly to serve the people and save precious lives. Sh. Rajeev Rai Bhatnagar, Advisor to Lt Governor; Sh. BVR Subrahmanyam, Chief Secretary; Sh. Arun Kumar Mehta, Financial Commissioner, Finance Department; Sh. Atal Dulloo, Financial Commissioner, Health and Medical Education; Sh. Shailendra Kumar, Principal Secretary to the Government, Public Works (R&B) Department; Sh. Nitishwar Kumar, Principal Secretary to the Lt Governor; Sh. Ranjan Prakash Thakur, Principal Secretary to the Government, Industries & Commerce; Dr. Raghav Langer, Divisional Commissioner Jammu; Choudhary Mohammad Yasin, Mission Director, NHM and HoDs of various departments, besides Health officials attended the meeting, in person and through virtual mode.
