PGI to appoint nodal officer to tackle referred Covid-19 cases

Naina Mishra
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, July 11

The Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) will now appoint a nodal officer who will deal with Covid-19 patients referred from Punjab and Haryana. The referring doctor can brief the nodal officer about the case beforehand.

A committee comprising faculty members from the departments of cardiology, gastroenterology, hepatology, endocrinology, nephrology, neurology and pulmonary medicine will be formed so that the doctors from Punjab and Haryana can take advice from them in case of an emergency.

A series of discussion on referral of Covid cases took place during a joint meeting with Dr Suraj Bhan Kamboj, Director-General (Health Services), Haryana, Dr G Dewan, Director (Health Services), Chandigarh, Dr Avneet Kaur, Director (Health Services), Punjab, and Dr Jagat Ram, Director, PGIMER.

It was agreed upon to share the contact number of the nodal officers of Punjab and Haryana, who will coordinate with the nodal officer of the PGIMER regarding the patients coming to the institute from these states.

The doctors from the PGIMER will talk to the nodal officer of the respective states in case it is felt that the patient can be treated or managed in the healthcare facility of the respective states and does not require any immediate intervention.

The committee decided that the Director-General (Health Services), Haryana, and the Director Health Services, Punjab, would refer the patients only in case the healthcare centres of these states were unable to treat the patient.

It was also agreed upon that after the patients were out of danger and could be managed at their parent states, the patient will be referred back to the respective state after coordinating with the nodal officer concerned.

The Director Health Services, Punjab, requested to form a WhatsApp group of doctors from the PGI, Punjab and Haryana so that in case of an emergency, the case could be discussed over phone and consultation could be provided.

Recently, the UT Administrator had ordered that the PGIMER Director should hold a meeting with Punjab and Haryana to finalise a protocol for admission of patients coming from other states.