Centre to provide all help to J&K
Avtar Bhat
JAMMU, Mar 21: Issuing a strict warning to rumor and panic mongers about the Coronavirus, Union Minister of State in PMO with Independent charge of North Eastern States, Dr Jitendra Singh today said that such people will be dealt with sternly under law.
Dr Jitendra Singh, who was presiding over a high level official meeting of senior officers of the Union Territory Government of Jammu & Kashmir, Heads of medical fraternity from different institutions and doctors here at Civil Secretariat said that rumor mongers creating a panic in the society will not be tolerated at any cost and stern action will be taken against them by the Government. The meeting was convened to take stock of the preparedness and the current status of COVID-19 in Jammu & Kashmir.
He asked the doctors fraternity as well as Health and Medical Education Department authorities to hold daily media briefing about the Coronavirus and counter forcefully those who are spreading rumors and making people panicky.
Dr Jitendra Singh said, the Central Government is monitoring the situation on a day-to-day basis and a requisition to the Centre for extra availability of sanitizers, N-95 face masks, ventilators, etc has been submitted by the Financial Commissioner (Health) J&K Atul Dulloo which will be responded to soon.
Dr Jitendra Singh referred to the appeal by Prime Minister, Narendra Modi and called upon everybody to observe ‘Janata Curfew in letter and spirit on Sunday. He lauded the Prime Minister, who had taken up the issue on a war footing much before other countries could respond. The Modi Government’s proactive approach is being appreciated all over the world including by the critics, he added.
Dr Jitendra Singh, while lauding the role of J&K UT administration, said that they have done a commendable job and despite confronting many challenges which the UT is facing, they focused to combat the challenge posed by COVID-19.
He, however, said that UT of Ladakh continues to be a concern for all where 10 cases of Coronavirus have been reported. He asked the authorities and doctors to be extra cautious in case of patients coming from Ladakh. The Minister also stressed on maintaining basic hygiene which is a part of life. He, while cautioning the people about self styled quacks, said the shops will be opened by such people and they would claim that they are trained in treatment of Coronavirus when no one knows where from they are trained.
He said though 50 percent Group B and C employees were asked to work from home but they have to remain honest to their duty and job as this does not mean that they will take it as a holiday and visit health resorts. They are supposed to work from home also, he added.
Dr Jitendra Singh asked the officers and doctors that all have to cooperate up to optimum level. He said in Coronavirus mortality can be controlled but still “we should n’t be causal about the virus.” He stressed on giving rest to body to build immunity.
He asked authorities to take the help of private hospitals who can also cooperate in quarantine.
Dr Jitendra Singh, who is also a noted Diabetologist and physician of national repute, said that there is an immediate need to clear the several panic causing myths about COVID-19 which tend to create undue panic and misgivings in the society. While it is the responsibility of the medical fraternity to aggressively come out and clear the air in the media and among the masses, “we should also not forget that the fight against pandemic is a shared challenge for each and every member of the society”, he said.
Adviser Health R R Bhatnagar, Financial Commissioner (Health) Atul Dulloo, Director NHM Bhupendra Kumar, Principal GMC Jammu Dr Sunanda Raina, Principal GMC Doda Dr Tariq Azad, Director Health Dr Renu Sharma and Director ISM Dr Mohan Singh were present at the meeting while Director Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS) Soura Dr Ahangar, Principal GMC Srinagar, Dr Shamima, Principal GMC Kathua, Dr Suleman Choudary, Principal GMC Rajouri, Dr Kuldeep Singh, Principals GMC Baramulla and Anantnag, and their respective faculty members joined through the video-conferencing, which lasted nearly two hours.
Citing pointed instances, Dr Jitendra Singh referred to a media report from Jaipur yesterday, according to which, a patient of COVID-19 who had been declared to have been cured by the doctors, later died after few days. He said, he had immediately called up the media person who had filed this report and explained that it is just like the case of influenza having got cured by the doctor but the patient later died of a heart attack. Therefore, it is important as medical professionals that “we must learn to draw a demarcation between a death occurring due to corona infection per se and a death occurring otherwise in an individual who had a corona infection,” he added.
Dr Jitendra Singh said, “In our medical practice of nearly four decades, , we have learnt to exercise extra caution in immuno-compromised patients with low resistance, who include Diabetics or those suffering from chronic kidney disease, cancer and certain other ailments or those in extreme age groups like small children and very elderly”. In case of COVID-19 risk, the same precautions have to be exercised more religiously, he said.
Referring to the panic purchase of face masks which has led their shortage in some areas, Dr Jitendra Singh said, face masks are to be used discretely and not always and everywhere though they are essential for doctors and paramedical staff handling the patient or potential patients.
Dr Jitendra Singh directed the officials to restrict the number of attendants in the hospitals and exploring the possibility of designated OPD hours for regular patients to avoid gatherings.
While calling for proper care and attention to the quarantine people in hospitals, he said that they should not be made feel like prisoners.
Earlier, Financial Commissioner, Dulloo presented a detailed report about various measures taken by the Government to contain the spread of Coronavirus in J&K.
He said that advisories have been issued to all hospitals to suspend all non-essential OPDs and surgeries and a decision has been taken to quarantine all foreigners arriving in J&K and passengers coming from Ladakh.
The FC also spelt out the measures that have been taken for surveillance and contact tracing network and said that 253 contacts have been traced who had been in touch with the positive cases and have been put under surveillance.
About the availability of safety logistics and equipment, the Union Minister was informed that the Health Department has adequate number of PPE kits, masks, sanitizers, ventilators and orders have been placed to augment the stocks.
With regard to isolation facilities, it was said that apart from the established facilities in several hospitals and other locations, the Army facilities at Udhampur, Nagrota, Satwari and Srinagar can be roped in for isolation purpose while as training Centres of Army and CAPF can also be explored for quarantine facilities.
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