Better treatment facilities should be provided to the COVID patients : Chief Minister Bhupesh

Instructions given to increase the number of beds in hospitals at district-level and to decide the rate of COVID treatment charges for private hospitals

Raipur, 6 September 2020 / Chief Minister Mr. Bhupesh Baghel today had a discussion in detail with his cabinet ministers, District Collectors, SPs and Medical Officials via video conferencing about the status of corona infection in the state and measures being taken for prevention of the same. Chief Minister took their suggestions regarding the current situation.
Chief Minister said in his address to the ministers and officials that increasing number of COVID positive cases has created an environment of fear among common people, especially the patients. It is the need of the hour to boost morale of the patients undergoing treatment in the hospitals and to regain their confidence in the system. Mr. Baghel directed the officials concerned to monitor the health conditions of patients and to ensure regular visits of doctors in their wards. Chief Minister said that the patients should be provided necessary medical advice via telemedicine or video/whatsapp calling as well.
Chief Minister Mr. Bhupesh Baghel said in his address to the video conference that with everyone’s support and cooperation, significant work has been done in Chhattisgarh state in terms of providing relief to COVID patients and for prevention of the infection. Presently, it is the peak period of the infection spread. And in this situation, we have to persevere and continue to fight this pandemic diligently. He expressed hope that with the collective efforts of officials-employees in all the government departments including Health, we would be triumphant in this battle against COVID-19. Chief Minister directed the Collectors to ensure better arrangements at district-level for medical treatment of COVID patients. Services of private hospitals can also be taken as and when required. In the meeting, Chief Minister also spoke about regulating the rate of treatment fee charged by private hospitals to COVID patients. Chief Minister said that the government has decided to prescribe home isolation to the COVID patients with few or no symptoms. The patients should be motivated to follow the precautions and they should also be provided necessary medical advice as and when required. Chief Minister further said that the families, wherein 1-2 members have been diagnosed as corona positive, should be provided prophylactic drug kits without COVID test. People who have come in contact with COVID positive people should also be provided the prophylactic drug kits along with proper advice on consumption of the medicines and compliance to the SOPs.
Chief Minister said that the decision to prescribe treatment in home isolation to the patients with few or no symptoms will reduce the pressure on hospitals. He added that the doctors can provide necessary guidance and medical advice to the patients in home isolation via telemedicine whatsapp calling. Chief Minister further said that the COVID infected people with serious health problems such as heart, kidney or liver related diseases, high blood pressure, diabetes etc should be compulsorily admitted to hospital and they should be provided better medical treatment facilities. Chief Minister said that saving lives of COVID infected and critically ill people should be our top-priority, and for that he directed the officials concerned to make necessary arrangements and take the required measures.
Chief Minister Mr. Bhupesh Baghel directed the District Collectors to ensure strict compliance to the precautionary norms for prevention of COVID infection and to determine the containment zones as per the local conditions. Chief Minister said that Health Department should use pamphlets, hand-bills to create public awareness about the cause. The pamphlets and hand-bills should have detailed information about the medicines and precautions to be taken by the patients with a few or no symptoms. Chief Minister also said that common people should be provided information about the medicines included in the prophylactic drugs kit.
Chief Minister said that a large number of patients are coming from other districts to Raipur for COVID treatment. It is a complicated situation. The COVID infected patients in critical condition should be referred to the bigger hospitals. He further said that we all should make collective efforts to help the patients overcome the fear and regain confidence that they would be provided best possible medical treatment in the hospitals. Chief Minister gave instructions to the Collectors to ensure better food arrangements for patients and also to appoint one officer in each government hospital for regular monitoring of cleanliness work in wards, toilets etc.
Chief Minister told District Collectors that they had ensured better arrangements for food, treatment and quarantine, when lakhs of migrant workers had returned to the state. At present, there are 20 thousand active COVID patients in the entire state. Managing food, drinking water and other arrangements for them is not a difficult task. Chief Minister instructed the Collectors to personally monitor the matter. Chief Minister said that adequate arrangements and beds are available in the districts for COVID treatment and this information should be widely publicized so that people may get assured of the healthcare facilities available for them. Instructions were also given to disseminate daily updates about the number of vacant beds available in the hospitals at district-level. Chief Minister directed the Collectors and Health Department officials to ensure availability of essential medicines and medical equipment in medical shops for prevention of corona infection, and hoarders of these medicines should be subjected to strict action. Chief Minister also gave instructions to distribute the immunity boosting ‘kaada’ and ‘chooran’ made of herbal medicines. Chief Minister directed the Health Department Officials to clearly mention the cause of death in the Corona Bulletin, along with the number of deceased.
Health Minister Mr. TS Singhdeo said in his address to the video conference that with the lockdown being called off, number of COVID cases in the state has significantly increased, which is obvious. People socializing and attending wedding functions and other events is of the major reasons behind this sharp rise in number of cases. COVID test is being conducted at a large-scale in containment zones, which has also led to the increase in number of COVID cases on record. He expressed hope that in the near future, the situation would be much under control and the number of cases would also decrease. Agriculture Minister Mr. Ravindra Choubey also gave many useful suggestions regarding prevention of corona infection. He said that the asymptomatic and mildly symptomatic patients should be treated through home isolation. He also suggested that people should be made aware about the cause through Gram Sabha. Home Minister Mr. Tamradhwaj, Forest Minister Mr. Mohammad Akbar, Urban Administration Minister Dr. Shivkumar Dahria, Industry Minister Mr. Kavasi Lakhma, Higher Education Minister Mr. Umesh Patel, Revenue Minister Mr. Jaisingh Agrawal, School Education Minister Dr. Premsai Singh Tekam, Food Minister Mr. Amarjeet Bhagat, Women and Child Development Minister Mrs. Anila Bhendia and Public Health Engineering Minister Guru Rudrakumar also made many useful suggestions regarding prevention of corona infection in the state.
At the onset of video conference, Additional Chief Secretary Health Mrs. Renu G Pillai said that the number of patients affected by corona in the state is about 41 thousand, out of which 20 thousand patients have recovered. Currently there are 20 thousand 968 active patients in the state. He said that the death rate of corona patients in the country is 1.73, while in Chhattisgarh it is only 0.84 per cent. He informed that at present 22 thousand 606 beds are vacant for the corona victims in the state. About 25 hundred people are in home isolation. Chief Secretary Mr. R.P. Mandal, Additional Chief Secretary Home Mr. Subrata Sahu, Health Director Mr. Neeraj Bansod, Director National Health Mission Dr. Priyanka Shukla and other officials were present.