*Appeals people not to panic
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Jan 31: Chief Secretary, B V R Subrahmanyam today reviewed the preparedness of Health Department to deal with novel Coronavirus (nCoV) across Jammu and Kashmir. The meeting was called in the backdrop of the video conference convened by the Cabinet Secretary, Government of India on January 30, 2020.
Financial Commissioner, Health & Medical Education, ADGP Security, Divisional Commissioner, Jammu, Director Coordination, New Medical Colleges, MD JKMSCL, Principal GMC Jammu, Director Health Services, Jammu and other concerned officers participated in the meeting.
Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir, IGP, Kashmir Zone, Director SKIMS, Principals of GMCs, all Deputy Commissioners and other senior officers of Health & Medical Education Department of Kashmir Division attended the meeting through video conference.
FC Health gave a comprehensive account of the preparedness of the Health and Medical Education Department across J&K to tackle the virus. He detailed the arrangements put in place in the hospitals in terms of supplies, equipment as also steps being taken for the capacity building of Rapid Response Teams (RRTs) to deal with the cases of coronavirus. He enunciated the protocols to be followed in Jammu and Kashmir Divisions in the event of influx of any suspect passenger from the foreign countries especially China, Japan and South East Asian Countries.
FC, Health & Medical Education informed that the situation is being monitored on a daily basis with explicit directions having been issued to the hospital authorities to promptly attend to any patient with symptoms of fever, running nose, severe cold, sore throat, cough, feeling unwell etc. Besides, the Medical Colleges in Srinagar and Jammu, hospitals have been designated for purposes of quarantine of patients with symptoms as those of Coronavirus.
Chief Secretary urged the Health Department to remain on high alert and work in close coordination with Divisional and District Administ-rations and officers of security at the Srinagar and Jammu Airports and Railway stations to deal with any suspected case of coronavirus on a real time basis.
He asked the Divisional Commissio-ners to have the pamphlets in local languages prepared and distributed at the places where there are congregations as well as tourist and pilgrimage places. For this purpose, temporary check posts will be set up by the concerned Deputy Commissioners for awareness of the general public. DCs will through their respective Chief Medical Officers launch sustained awareness among the common masses through all available means at Panchayat, School and through other government and private establishments etc. so that there is no panic and that people get educated about the precautions and protocol to be followed in the event of contact with any suspect person with such symptoms.
He directed the ADGP Security to issue appropriate directions to the police officers at Srinagar and Jammu Airports and Railway Stations to coordinate with the Health Department for any assistance required to be provided to health staff for taking suspect cases to designated hospitals for sampling and isolation. He stressed on equipping the ambulances with all facilities so that there are minimal chances of transmission of this virulent virus.
He assured that all required facilities and support will be provided to enable the Health Department to deal with the cases of Corona virus effectively.
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