‘State govt to give PPE kits for protection of private hospitals’ staff’

The state government has also decided to provide PPE kit to private hospitals from Covid Care Fund for the protection of doctors and para medical staff from coronavirus.

A day after sixty-five staff members of King George’s Medical University (KGMU) were quarantined after a patient who was attended to by them tested positive for coronavirus on Monday, the state government issued orders to the health department and the district administrative officers to take preventive measures for protection of the doctors, nurses and para medical staff from infection.

Medical staff collecting samples from people in a Covid 19 hotspot area in Lucknow on Tuesday. (ANI)

Also, the state government has decided to provide PPE kit to private hospitals from Covid Care Fund for the protection of doctors and para medical staff from coronavirus.

So far, the government has issued notices to 19 private hospitals across the state that they would be converted into exclusive Covid-19 hospitals as and when the situation demanded so, said principal secretary, health and family welfare, Amit Mohan Prasad. Earlier, a government order (GO) was issued that private hospitals would be converted into Covid-19 hospitals as per the need.

Addressing a press conference on Tuesday, additional chief secretary Awanish Kumar Awasthi said in a meeting with the senior officers chief minister Yogi Adityanath expressed concern over the KGMU incident. He then directed the officers to take preventive measures in the hospitals, provide PPE kits and equipment to the medical staff deputed in the hospitals, Awasthi added.

Also, the state government has decided to start the emergency services in the hospital to provide medical facilities to the patients who are suffering with serious kidney, liver and heart disease.

The medical teams deputed in the emergencies will be supplied PPE kits and other items for the protection from coronavirus, the additional chief secretary said.

The chief minister will hold meeting with the officers of health and medical education departments to start the emergency services. The measures required to protect the medical team working in the hospitals will be also discussed in the meeting, he said.

The CM will give instructions to all chief medical officers and chief medical superintendents of the government hospitals for implementation of the Covid protocol in all the hospitals in the state for protection of the doctors and para-medical staff from infection, Awasthi said.

A 55-year-old corona patient living in Naya Gaon in Qaiserbagh area had come to the KGMU on Saturday evening. He visited many areas on the campus and was brought to the triage area. Later, he was shifted to the isolation facility and had to be put on ventilator. But in this process, he came in contact with many staff members who were not protected well against infection.

Principal secretary, health and family welfare, Amit Mohan Prasad said around 50 staff of the KGMU had been quarantined. Their samples were sent for laboratory test, he said.