Two-day Covid mock drill starts in J&K hospitals

Monitoring situation closely, will take appropriate steps in time if need arises: Secretary H&ME

Srinagar, Apr 10  : Health Department has started a two-day Covid-19 mock drill in all hospitals for an emergency response to ensure medical equipment and other infrastructure were functioning properly.

A health official told news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), that amid rise in cases, the Covid-19 preparedness related mock drill were conducted on Monday and will continue tomorrow as well.

“All the PMCs, Directors, CMOs and Medical Superintendents conducted the mock drills to ensure the operational readiness of the Covid-dedicated facilities, with a specific focus on oxygen plants, ventilators, logistics and human resources,” he said.

“We have checked oxygen supplies, facilities, oxygen concentrators and plants, cylinders, ICU facilities, Covid-19 wards, testing facilities, drugs and other related facilities,” he said.

Notably, Mock drill is a trial run conducted to check how health department and staff manages an emergency using available resources and hospital protocols to avert any chaotic situation.

Bhupinder Kumar, Health and Medical Education Secretary told reporters at the sidelines of mock drill at JLNM Srinagar that past few weeks have seen uptick in Covid cases but hospitalization rate hasn’t increased and there is no need to panic.

He said that the concerned officials and officers have been asked to remain alert and continue the testing of suspected cases in all the hospitals.

“As per the government guidelines, testing rate has been increased and all patients having symptoms of influenza and acute respiratory distress are being tested and cases are on rise but hospitalization is not much,” he added.

He said that there is no need to panic as the situation is being monitored closely and appropriate steps will be taken in time as the administration has been very successful in managing the previous waves of Covid.

He said that genome sequencing lab has been made operational at SKIMS Soura and genome sequencing is now being done here and two more, one each in GMC Srinagar and GMC Jammu have are being made functional as installation work is going on.

He said genome sequencing lab at SKIMS will help us in keeping vigil on the variants in circulation, its prevalence and to take steps in this regard.

He said that there is no need to panic as they have seen situations in last three years as handled them as well. “We have a very trained staff and hospitals are also very well equipped,” the Secretary Health and Medical Education said.

Replying to a query whether testing will be started outside parks, he said, as per government guidelines only symptomatic persons are being tested and rate of testing has been increased as well.

He said bottlenecks are being cleared to complete incomplete buildings at JVC Bemina and B&J hospital Srinagar besides that foot over bridge outside Children hospital Bemina is coming up.

He said that masking has been made mandatory in hospitals as of now, however, people must take precautions themselves for their own benefits—(KNO)