Use hospitals of PSUs, hire retired doctors under NHM to deal with surge: Centre tells states

States have been particularly asked to increase dedicated beds by using available buildings in the hospital campus (including AIIMS) for creation of additional Covid-19 dedicated wards.

Reviewing the surge of coronavirus infections in Uttar Pradesh and Chhattisgarh on Friday, the Centre advised states to increase dedicated Covid-19 beds and use the hospitals of Union ministries and Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) for treating the patients, according to a statement issued by the Central government.

Family members wearing PPE kits, wait during the cremation of a COVID-19 victim at the Nigambodh Ghat in New Delhi on Friday. (PTI PHOTO.)

The states have also been advised to deploy volunteers of NSS (National Service Scheme), Nehru Yuva Kendra (NYK), women self-help groups as well as hire retired doctors/paramedics on contracts under National Health Mission (NHM) funds.

In the review meeting, chaired by Union home secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla and Union health secretary Rajesh Bhushan, the Director General of ICMR – Balram Bhargava recommended setting up of more testing labs, including mobile labs. He also advised about keeping a vigil and ramping up of testing on a continuous basis in districts showing more than 5% positivity rate.

At the end of the meeting, a five-fold strategy for tackling the recent surge was re-emphasised, which includes significantly increasing testing in all districts with a minimum of 70% RT-PCR tests and use of Rapid Antigen Tests as screening tests in densely populated areas as well as areas where fresh clusters are emerging; ramping up effective and timely tracing, containment and surveillance activities to curb the chain of transmission; effectively following the protocol of clinical care, treatment and supported home/facility care; effective enforcement of Covid-19 safe behaviour and time-bound plan of 100% vaccination of eligible population groups, especially in the high focus districts, according to the Press Information Bureau (PIB) statement.

States have been particularly asked to increase dedicated beds by using available buildings in the hospital campus (including AIIMS) for creation of additional Covid-19 dedicated wards.

The PIB said that the “health ministry is informing states every day in the morning of the day’s supply of Covid-19 vaccines, to enable better planning for optimum utilisation of the vaccines. An augmented health workforce would be needed in the coming days for contact tracing and house-to-house survey for symptomatic patients.”

Chhattisgarh and Uttar Pradesh along with Maharashtra are the only three states in the country which have more than one lakh active cases. Both Chhattisgarh and Uttar Pradesh are reporting very high numbers of daily new Covid-19 cases and high deaths.

“The reported shortage of hospital infrastructure such as ICU and oxygen supported hospitals beds resulting in difficulty to the public in easily accessing critical healthcare services were discussed in comprehensive detail, requiring an urgent ramping up of hospital infrastructure. The states were advised to increase the number of isolation beds, oxygen beds, ventilators/ICU beds, ambulance fleet as per requirement; plan for adequate oxygen supply; and focus on mortality reduction by early identification of positive cases and adherence to national treatment protocol,” said PIB statement.

Bhushan informed the states that demand for oxygen cylinders (including 10 litre cylinders and 45 litre jumbo cylinders) and demand for additional ventilators (having high flow nasal canula) will be met very soon.

Earlier in the day, Bhalla wrote to all states asking them to ensure smooth supply of medical oxygen.