*3 Dhams will have total capacity of 435 beds
Govind Sharma
JAMMU, Apr 15: To further strengthen its infrastructure for meeting any exigency due to Novel Coronavirus, Government of Jammu and Kashmir today took over Saraswati Dham, Kalika Dham and Vaishnavi Dham near Rail Head Complex Jammu to convert them into COVID Care Centers with total bed capacity of about 435 while another such facility of 200 beds is being established by Army in Army Public School, Domana.
Official sources told Excelsior that Health and Medical Education Department in collaboration with Divisional administration is doing every effort to raise enough infrastructure for keeping the asymptomatic COVID-19 patients under observation of medical experts, during the lockdown period.
Sources informed that Health Department today took over Saraswati Dham, Kalika Dham and Vaishnavi Dham in Jammu which has been constructed by Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board for providing clean, well maintained and economical accommodation to Vaishno Devi pilgrims visiting the Jammu from different parts of the country, for establishing COVID Care Centers, where only asymptomatic Coronavirus positive patients will be kept under observation.
They informed that the department has started with Saraswati Dham where bed placement was done today as per Government of India guidelines and after that they will convert other two Dhams into COVID Care Centers. “These are well maintained accommodations. There is nothing to do much except placement of beds on appropriate distance, training of the house-keeping staff of these three Dhams and providing chemical disinfectants and other requisite items,” sources said.
“Altogether, the three Dhams will have total capacity of about 435 beds, sources disclosed and said the Department has also appointed Dr Renu Kotwal and Dr Neeru Sharma as Nodal Officers for these facilities while other medical staff including doctors will be deployed shortly after completion of requisite renovation works there.
Regarding COVID Care Center being established at Indoor Complex of MA Stadium Jammu, they said that instead of Army, it is now being established by the Health Department itself and it will be 200-bedded. They said mattress has started arriving there while beds are yet to be procured. It will take some time, they added.
Sources said Indoor Stadium Bhagwati Nagar has also been taken over by the Health Department for converting it into 100-bedded COVID Care Center while Army is converting Army Public School, Domana into COVID Care Center and the work has already begun there. It will be 100-bedded facility and Army has been given the deadline of April 21 for its completion, they informed.
When contacted, Financial Commissioner, Health and Medical Education J&K, Atal Dulloo, confirmed the developments. He said they have taken over three Dhams after the consent of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board and the work has already begin to convert Saraswati Dham into COVID Care Center, where only COVID-19 positive but asymptomatic people will be kept under observation of medical professionals.
He said that the Government has also roped in private hospitals and nursing homes to augment the isolation facilities across Jammu division. “We have signed Memorandum of Understanding with the Acharya Shri Chander College of Medical Sciences (ASCOMS), Jammu and Narayana Superspeciality Hospital Kakryal to augment the isolation facilities in the division,” he added.
“Yatri Niwas, Bhagwati Nagar which was the first administrative quarantine centre in Jammu is being upgraded and converted into hospital quarantine centre where doctors will be available round-the-clock,” the FC said, adding, the Government has also designated Ayurvedic Hospital in Jammu as a quarantine centre.
Dulloo said they are trying to raise as much infrastructure as they can.
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