SRINAGAR: The healthcare institutions across Jammu and Kashmir will hold a mock drill for emergency response to deal with COVID-19 cases, besides to check functionality in respect of key facilities and logistics for COVID management on Tuesday, December 27, amid a spurt of coronavirus cases in some parts of the world.
Secretary Health & Medical Education, Bhupinder Kumar on Saturday convened a meeting in this regard, which was attended by Director SKIMS Soura, Mission Director NHM, Principals of all Medical Colleges, Director General, Family Welfare, MCH and Immunization, Director Health Services Kashmir, Director (Coordination) New Medical Colleges, J&K, Managing Director, JKMSCL, CMOs of all the districts of J&K and other senior officers from Health & Medical Education Department.
Kumar noted that there is need to continue with pre-emptive and pro-active approach to keep a check on possible increase in number of COVID cases in J&K in the wake of increase in positive cases being reported globally.
In pursuance to the directions issued by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, all HoDs will undertake Mock-Drill exercise across the health facilities in J&K on 27th December, 2022 at 09:00 am to ensure operational readiness for management of COVID with specific focus on Oxygen Plants, Ventilators, logistics and human resources, he directed.
“The status of the mock drill will be entered facility wise in the COVID India portal on the same day,” he said adding that this exercise will be supervised by the HoDs of Health and Medical Education Department.
Secretary also discussed the status of COVID supplies and asked the HoDs and Managing Director JKMSCL to ensure availability of sufficient stock of COVID logistics including the testing kits. He directed the Chief Medical Officers to continue with the contact tracing of positive cases as per the prevailing practice.
He took stock of installation and operationalisation of genome sequencing labs in GMC Srinagar and GMC Jammu and instructed the officers to make these labs operational forthwith.
Director General, Family Welfare, MCH and Immunization, was directed to arrange precautionary dose of COVID vaccination for the vulnerable groups especially healthcare workers and elderly population.
Secretary exhorted upon the officers to motivate and encourage the staff members working in healthcare institutions to follow COVID Appropriate Behaviour while working in the institutions for their personal and safety of the patients as well.
