Principal Secretary Inspects Facilities

Port Blair, May 19: The Principal Secretary (Health), Shri KR Meena visited the State of Art COVID-19 Dedicated Hospital set up by the Health Department in G B Pant Hospital. This visit was conducted to review the arrangements made by the Department to cope up with the expected third wave of COVID-19 cases being expected when stranded migrant workers, pilgrims, tourists, students and others will come to Islands from mainland. The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has directed to set up 03 tier COVID-19 care facilities to handle COVID-19 cases as per the clinical conditions of patients.

Accordingly, the Administration has set up 08 (Eight) COVID Care Center (CCC) for Mild cases, 03 (Three) Dedicated COVID Health Center (DCHC) for Moderate cases and 02 (Two) Dedicated COVID Hospitals (DCH) for severe and critical cases which need intensive care for patients. The Administration has earmarked 50 beds including 12 isolation rooms in GB Pant Hospital and 48 Beds in INHS Dhanvantri for server condition patients. Presently 228 beds/rooms are kept ready for the COVID-19 patients in Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

These COVID-19 care facilities have been equipped with adequate health infrastructure to deal with moderate to critical conditioned patients which interalia includes fully equipped ICUs beds, 06 beds with Ventilators and 45 beds with assured Oxygen support. The facility has been equipped with a dedicated portable X-ray machine and multi-parameter monitors to all beds. A multi-parameter monitor is meant for the continuous monitoring of heart rate, blood pressure and blood oxygen levels of the patients. A small enclosed ward consisting of 04 beds has been provided to accommodate a small group or a family. An additional enclosed ward has also been provided with 08 beds exclusively for critical female patients. The facilities shall have separate areas for suspects and confirmed cases to ensure prevention of transmission of infection to suspects from confirmed cases.

All the beds in different wards have been placed in such a manner that social distancing is maintained i.e, they are separated by a distance of 6-8 feet. Each bed has its own oxygen supply, continuous cardiac monitor with pulse oximeter. There is also a cardiac defibrillator and an ECG machine exclusively dedicated to COVID-19 patients. Every patient will be supplied with mask and sanitizer and all the floors, beds, corridors will be sanitised at least once in a day.

The new dedicated COVID Hospital is set up in separate buildings in GB Pant Hospital i.e. Nursing Home building and Ortho Female Ward Building. The Dedicated COVID Ward established in the Nursing Home area has 12 isolated rooms and each room is equipped with multi-parameter monitors, and oxygen supply.

To ensure full safety to health care workers a separate room has been provided to them. Arrangements have also been made for CC Cameras to have 24x7 constant watch over the patients. Separate room has also been provided for donning (wearing the PPEs) and doffing (removing the PPEs).