Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, Apr 10: On the directions of the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, the Health Department today carried out mock drills across hospitals to review the preparedness in the wake of rising COVID-19 cases.
The drills were held at the hospitals which were earlier functioning at COVID-19 care hospitals and during that, the necessary preparedness was reviewed, especially the availability of oxygen and other necessary equipment.
On the occasion, Secretary, Health & Medical Education (H&ME) Department Bhupinder Kumar along with Director Health Services Kashmir Dr Mushtaq Ahmad Rather visited JLNM hospital Rainawari and visited all sections of the hospital and took stock of the facilities available there besides that he checked the preparedness of the hospital in case of a further surge of Covid-19 as a part of the drill.
“There has been an increase in COVID-19 but the hospitalizations are low. It is the same in the country. There were instructions from the Government for the mock drill with a focus on the shortcomings if any and the steps for the early redressal,” he said.
He said that concerned officials and officers have been asked to remain alert and continue the testing of suspected cases in all the hospitals.
Secretary H&ME said that a Genome Sequencing Lab has been set up at SKIMS, Suora and that it is already functioning.
“Sequencing helps us keep track of the changing virus. India is doing more Genome sequencing globally due to which the prevalence of variants is being provided to the experts,” he said.
He further stated that two more Genome Sequencing Labs are under commissioning, one at GMC, Srinagar and the other one at Jammu.
“We are ready to deal with the COVID situation; we have handled the worst situation in the past. We are closely monitoring the situation,” he said.
On random testing, keeping in mind the cases, he said that they are testing as per the guidelines. “We have to test only those who are symptomatic. We are not doing the random testing which is under the guidelines,” he said.
He said that if Covid Appropriate Behavior is being followed by the people there won’t be much increase in Covid-19 cases. “Precautions need to be taken at all levels and people should maintain the SOPs.”
Meanwhile, mock drills were also conducted at SKIMS, Soura to test all the resources and to have better preparations concerning required resources for COVID management and address deficiencies in advance.
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