Increase testing in Himachal districs CM Jai Ram Thakur tells DCs

Shimla, April 26

Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur today directed all the deputy commissioners to increase the number of testing for Covid in their districts. The Chief Minister today interacted virtually with Deputy Commissioners, Superintendent of Police, Chief Medical Officers, Principals and Medial Superintendents of all the medical colleges to review the situation.

He said the key strategy of testing, tracing and treatment with effective surveillance through micro containment zones was the need of the hour. He said that the state health department must ensure minimum wastage of vaccine.

Thakur said the government had almost reached the target of enhancing the bed capacity for Covid patients to 3,000 and efforts were on to increase the same to about 5,000 to meet any emergency situation. He said there was no scarcity of medicines, medical inputs and oxygen in the state. “As a precautionary measure, the government has requisitioned 3,000 additional D-Type oxygen cylinders to ensure there is no shortage of empty cylinders,” he stated.

The Chief Minister stressed the need for strengthening home isolation system and said Asha workers, Anganwari workers, NGOs, mahila mandals and yuvak mandals must be motivated to help the patients in home isolation by keeping in touch with their family members. He urged the elected representatives of Panchayati Raj Institutions and urban local bodies to keep an eye on the patients in home isolation besides ensuring that the persons visiting the state were strictly following the SoPs.

He said the doctors and paramedical staff must ensure effective communication with Covid patients in hospitals for boosting their morale which would help in their speedy recovery. He said that senior doctors must also regularly visit the Covid wards to enquire about the health of patients.

He interacted with doctors, nurses, ward boys and sanitary workers working in Covid care centres and thanked them for their “great” services.