Isolation wards, protocols in place to tackle Covid threat

With a rise in Covid cases being reported from various parts of the country, government hospitals and PGIMER in Chandigarh have stepped up preparations to handle any situation. A ground assessment by The Tribune reveals that the city’s key healthcare institutions have activated their contingency plans, restructured isolation facilities and realigned resources to tackle any eventuality.

At Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), officials confirmed that their infrastructure is already primed to manage Covid patients Prof Sanjay Jain, Dean (Research) and Head of the Department of Internal Medicine, stated, “The PGI is fully prepared. We have a Communicable Diseases (CD) ward with dedicated beds located adjacent to the ICU. If need be, we can manage Covid patients as efficiently as we did during the previous wave.”

Hospital sources said the oxygen pipeline system in the CD ward has been fully tested and backup ventilators are on standby. Stockpiles of antiviral drugs, PPE kits and testing kits are also being replenished. A rotation-based staffing system is being reactivated to ensure medical teams are not overburdened.

Sample collection windows on standby

As there’s no active Covid case in Chandigarh currently, dedicated sample collection windows at hospitals like PGIMER and GMSH-16 remain locked. Officials stated that these units, which played a critical role during the first, second and third waves—are maintained in operational condition and will be opened immediately upon any sign of rising infections.

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The PGI’s exclusive sample collection unit near the Emergency Wing and Nehru Hospital is also being readied and will be opened should the situation demand.

Two patients were admitted to the CD Ward at PGI. They were not Covid patients but suffering from some other communicable disease. Being a tertiary care centre, the PGI has all necessary facilities to set up isolation wards in multiple centres as and when necessary, and there’s always one isolation ward in emergency.

Preparations are also in full swing at Government Multi-Specialty Hospital (GMSH), Sector 16. The hospital has re-designated isolation beds in its infectious diseases ward, and staff have undergone a refresher course on Covid protocols. Officials said the laboratory was equipped to handle increased RT-PCR testing and triage areas have been marked to separate symptomatic patients.

The Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), Sector 32, has begun refurbishing its earlier isolation ward, which originally has a 10-bed facility, all connected to high-flow oxygen. The hospital administration has reissued internal circulars to enforce mask-wearing among staff and visitors and is collaborating with the UT Health Department to ensure availability of essential medicines, including Remdesivir and steroids.

Meanwhile, the Chandigarh Health Department has also reactivated its district response team and issued advisories to private hospitals to remain alert. Awareness campaigns at public places and markets will also be relaunched in the coming days to reinforce preventive measures.

While the memory of earlier waves still lingers fresh in public memory, health experts caution against panic. They emphasise the importance of booster vaccination and early testing for symptomatic individuals. At the same time, regular patients at hospitals are not being seen adopting preventive measure of wearing mask, which is a must, explains a health expert.

Although no Covid positive case have been reported in Chandigarh yet, the city’s healthcare infrastructure — sharpened by experience and preparedness — stands ready once again.