Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur, while presiding over a meeting through video conferencing with the Deputy Commissioners, Superintendents of Police, Chief Medical Officers, Principals and Medical Superintendents of various Government Medical Colleges of the State from Shimla today, expressed concern over the increase in number of Covid-19 cases as well as deaths of Covid-19 patients in the State and directed the officers to take effective steps to increase the bed capacities in their respective districts.
Chief Minister said that the State Government has decided to enforce five days office and sixth day work from home for all the Government employees of the State till 31st December, 2020 to break the chain of this virus. He said that as the State Government would also consider to impose curfew from 9 pm to 6 am in the four districts, viz. Shimla, Mandi, Kullu and Kangra. He said that the situation would be reviewed from time to time.
Jai Ram Thakur said that the casual approach of the people particularly in social gathering such as marriages etc. has resulted in sharp increase in the number of covid-19 patients. He said that the State Government has now decided to restrict the number of persons on all the social gathering to 50 persons. He said that all the political functions would be held virtually and restriction on numbers would be implemented in letter and spirit in such functions.
Chief Minister said that the State Government has also decided to increase the bed capacity in all district, zonal and civil hospitals to facilitate patients and to meet out any eventuality. He said that all the prefabricated Covid Centres coming up in the State would be completed at the earliest. He said that the Government of India has sanctioned seven oxyzen plants for the State. He directed the Deputy Commissioners to identify the land for the same so that they could be set up at the earliest.
Jai Ram Thakur said that to ensure proper and effective management of hospitals, the Government had also decided to make foolproof arrangements in hospitals by designating a senior official as in-charge of Covid ward for better treatment of the patients. He also directed the Deputy Commissioners to rope in private hospitals and laboratories for testing and treatment of Covid patients.
Chief Minister said that proper protocol must be adopted for treatment of the asymptotic patients under home isolation. He said that such patients must be provided all required inputs for their proper medication. He said that adequate arrangements of pulse oxymeter must be made for these patients so that they could regularly monitor oxygen level in blood. He said that it has been felt that the change in climate was also resulting in fast spread of this virus. He said that senior doctors must ensure at least three rounds of the wards of covid-19 patient to instill confidence in the patients.
Jai Ram Thakur said that shortage of staff particularly in health institutions with more cases of Covid-19 patients would be met out by deploying adequate staff. He said that adequate para medical staff would also be made available in the health institutions to facilitate fast testing and tracing.
Chief Minister said that it has also been felt that casual approach of people and laxity in adhering to the laid down SOPs was major reason of spread of the virus. He asked the officers to check this tendency and take remedial measures in this regard by enforcing the instructions of the Government issued from time to time.
Health Minister Dr Rajiv Saizal also gave his valuable suggestions on the occasion.
Chief Secretary Anil Khachi also felt the need for adopting a humane approach towards the Covid-19 patients.
Secretary Health Amitabh Awasthi welcomed the Chief Minister and other officers present on the occasion. He said that effective steps would be taken to rationalise the staff in health institutions to provide adequate staff for treatment of Covid patients.
Jal Shakti Minister Mahender Singh Thakur, Urban Development Minister Suresh Bhardwaj, Director General of Police Sanjay Kundu, Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister J.C. Sharma, Mission Director NHM Nipun Jindal, Principal IGMC Shimla Dr Rajneesh Pathania, Director Medical Education Dr Ravi Sharma and other officers attended the meeting.
