Srinagar, July 21 (KNS): More COVID care centres or CCCs are being established in Srinagar after a sharp rise in COVID-19 affected cases in the district in the last month or so.
Care facilities with over 2000 beds in aggregate are being added to the facilities which the Srinagar administration set up in the district during the two-month lockdown period around two months ago.
This was informed in a meeting convened here at SKICC – with concerned executing agencies and management teams – under the chairmanship of the Deputy Commissioner Srinagar Dr Shahid Iqbal Choudhary.
These new facilities being established right now and which will soon be available for use as care facilities for mild and asymptotic COVID-19 patients will increase the available COVID-care capacity in the district to 5000 from 3000 beds.
These facilities are being established at different locations. Together with the existing 3000-bedded facilities which were established earlier these COVID-care facilities will be available at some 20 different locations across the district.
Each of these care centres have dedicated medical teams deputed for patient-care. These teams have been pooled from the Health and ISM departments. It is notable that all these centres have a host of facilities ranging from separate wards designed under the technical supervision of Preventive & Social Medicine department to medical units to nurse stations to doctors rooms to staff accommodation to pantries among other facilities.
These facilities are providing a much-needed support to the healthcare apparatus of the district — augmenting its capacities to handle patient load and provide requisite healthcare based on specific requirements of different kinds of COVID-19 patients.
The District Disaster Management Authority or DDMA Srinagar – which is at the forefront of COVID-19 containment efforts including establishment of care centres for affected persons – is also taking care of a range of requirements associated with the operation and management of of these centres.
From provision of food to patients to sanitisation of these centres the DDMA Srinagar is involved in massive efforts to ensure these centres provide the services as required. The Srinagar Municipal Corporation and the PWD among other agencies have offered continuous support to make these efforts successful.
Speaking during the meeting the DC called for greater efforts stressing the need therefor in the wake of sharp rise in COVID-19 affected cases and directing for earliest establishment of new care facilities being set up in the district.
Dr Shahid while reviewing the status of existing and upcoming COVID care centres appreciated the efforts of concerned officers and management teams. He expressed specific appreciation for engineers involved in setting up of these centres.
The meeting was informed that as of now more than 900 COVID-19 patients are being attended at six existing COVID care centres. It was said that other centres will be operationalised as and when required.
It was informed that each of these care centres are managed at multiple levels to ensure well-managed operations with the concerned Executive Magistrates looking after the overall management of requirements of centres in their respective jurisdictions.
It was informed that the COVID care centre at Hyderpora which has 300 beds has been developed as a model facility. It was also informed that capacity of the Indoor Stadium CCC is being enhanced to 150 beds.
Meanwhile the DDMA Srinagar has handed over three COVID care centres to GMC Srinagar and the SKIMS MCH Bemina to augment their capacities.
ADC Srinagar Haneef Balkhi, CMO Dr Jahangir Bakshi, Nodal Officer COVID Care Centres Kashmir (Director Academics) Dr Wasim Qureshi, Nodal Officer CCCs Srinagar (DC Excise) Jeelani Zargar, Nodal Officer CCC Logistics (SE PWD Srinagar) Nayeem Khan, Nodal Officer ISM Dr Iftikhar, Tehsildars, Zonal Medical Officers, among other officers attended the meeting.