Entire sports infra kept under disposal of distt admins
*Work underway in Sgr, to be started in Jammu from today
Govind Sharma
JAMMU, Apr 9: Government of Jammu and Kashmir is going to convert indoor complexes of Maulana Azad (MA) Stadium in Jammu and Bakshi Stadium in Srinagar into 100-bedded Level-I COVID-19 hospitals to meet any exigency erupted in near future due to Coronavirus pandemic.
Official sources told Excelsior that these indoor sports complexes are being converted into hospital with the help of Army and it will be used to keep only suspected COVID-19 patients (symptomatic or asymptomatic). They said as of now there are enough beds in already declared dedicated COVID-19 hospitals and these new facilities will be kept on standby to tackle any emergency situation.
They further informed that J&K Sports Council has also handed over their indoor complexes in other parts of the UT to respective district administration for creating isolation facilities whenever the need arises. However, there is no such need at present, they added.
Meanwhile, Advisor to Lieutenant Governor, Farooq Khan also said today that in case the need arises, sports infrastructure under Jammu and Kashmir Sports Council (JKSC) would be kept on the standby for turning them into COVID-19 facilities.
The Advisor informed that all the sports infrastructure under the administrative control of Jammu and Kashmir Sports Council would be kept at the disposal of the Government and Department of Health and Medical Education and the concerned Deputy Commissioners can avail the facilities when the need arises.
“We have Indoor and Outdoor sports facilities —which have the capacity of over 10000 people and I think in times of crisis, these facilities can come handy for the administration,” the Advisor said.
Talking to Excelsior, Secretary, J&K Sports Council, Javed Naseem Choudhary said the work to convert indoor complex of Bakshi stadium in Srinagar into COVID-Hospital is already under process while the work to establish COVID-19 Hospital in indoor complex of MA Stadium in Jammu will be started soon.
He further said that on the directions of Advisor Farooq Khan, they have kept entire infrastructure at the disposal of respective district administrations and they will be using them as per their requirement. He said indoor stadium of Bhagwati Nagar would also be converted into isolation facility.
“All our indoor complexes at Billawar, Reasi, Rajouri, Poonch, Ramnagar, Bandipora and Srinagar are at Government’s disposal and they are converting them into quarantine centres as per their need,” he added.
Meanwhile, a team of doctors of Health and Medical Education Department including Director New Medical Colleges, Dr Yashpal Sharma along with senior Army officers this evening visited MA Stadium Jammu, inspected the site and discussed modalities to convert the Indoor Complex of the Stadium into 100-bedded Level-I COVID-19 Hospital.
Speaking to Excelsior, Dr Yashpal Sharma said that today they along with Army officials inspected the Indoor Complex of MA stadium as well as Indoor Stadium Bhagwati Nagar in Jammu. He said presently there have lot of space for quarantine purpose and treatment of COVID-19 patients.
“In Jammu City alone, we have 125 bedded Chest Disease Hospital and 200-bedded Gandhi Nagar Hospital, which have been fully dedicated for COVID-19 patients. Out of 125 beds in CD Hospital, only 25 beds are occupied as of now while 200 beds in Gandhi Nagar Hospital are vacant. Thus, as of now there is no such need but keeping in view rising number of cases, we want to convert MA Stadium Indoor Complex into COVID-19 Hospital and keep it on standby so that in any emergent situation it can be used,” he added.
He said Army will start work from tomorrow and hopefully within 4-5 days, the 100-beded Hospital will be ready in MA Stadium. As far as Bhagwati Nagar Indoor Stadium is concerned, it will be kept for making Isolation Ward whenever the need arises and same is the case with other sports infrastructure in different parts of the UT.
Dr Sharma further informed that all emergency surgeries (Gynae, pediatric or other) of COVID-19 positive patients will be conducted only in Gandhi Nagar Hospital (fully dedicated for COVID-19) alone while emergency surgeries of normal patients will be conducted as usual in GMC Jammu, SMGS Hospital and Super Speciality Hospital in Jammu.
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