GMCH-32 screens all with flu-like symptoms
Naina Mishra
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, April 10
To prevent the entry of any patient with flu-like symptoms into the GMCH, all those visiting the emergency and trauma services are currently being screened.
In the screening OPD, any patient who fits into any of the five categories specified by the ICMR is directly admitted to the Covid-19 isolation ward and the sample is collected in the ward itself.
The patient is accompanied by a hospital attendant to the isolation ward.
There is a specified route to be followed for shifting the patient to the ward that includes a dedicated lift. The lift operator is provided with a mask and hand sanitiser. The operator stays outside the lift and the attendant from the screening OPD, with PPE kit, accompanies the patient.
There are two 24X7 flu corners being manned by a social worker, a lab technician and a security guard. Outside the entrance to emergency and trauma services and labour room, all patients who complain of sore throat, cough, fever and difficulty in breathing are provided with face mask and are directed to go to the 24X7 screening OPD.
The screening OPD for Covid and other flu-like symptoms is manned by a team consisting of a senior resident and two junior residents. This OPD is situated on the ground floor, D Block.
As many as seven police constables are posted outside the institute to check any untoward incident. The attendant posted at the screening OPD is directed to sanitise the chair and table before attending the next patient.
In the isolation ward, oral and nasopharyngeal swab is taken by a team consisting of an ENT specialist and a microbiologist. In case a patient turns out to be positive, he/she is shifted to the ward concerned and if the report is negative, the patient is discharged and advised home-quarantine for two weeks and information regarding him/her is also sent to the nodal officer to ensure proper labeling of the house and putting up a notice board outside the house.
Two separate wards
The GMCH has two separate wards, one for Covid-suspected cases and another for positive cases. Each suspected patients is kept at a separate room and is not allowed to meet with other patients. He/she is managed as a positive case till the report comes out. There are two separate teams of healthcare staff for both wards. All staff wear PPE kits. The wards are sanitised thrice daily.
Seven-day work
Each team works for seven days and after seven days, a new team takes over and the old team is given off for seven days and they are kept under observation at private rooms area 72/ Hotel Parkview or their homes as per the choice of the staff. The staff is provided with free meals irrespective of their place of stay.
Option of staying away from family during the duty and seven days after the duty is offered to doctors, nurses, attendants and safaikaramchari.
HCQ for healthworkers
Staff looking after Covid-19 patients are provided with hydroxylchloroquine as a preventive strategy as per the ICMR guidelines. The positive Covid-19 patients are given only symptomatic treatment.
