Vikash Sharma

News Highlights

  • The State government has approved several recommendations of the Technical Committee, headed by DMET, for paediatric care in the event of a third wave.

  • Collectors and CDMOs directed to make advance preparations including creation of designated wing in existing Covid hospitals and reserving 15 % ICU beds.

  • Clear directions have also been issued to make provision for 155 beds and 65 NICU in the existing 7 medical college and hospitals in the State.

Bhubaneswar: Even as the Covid-19 positivity rate is constantly registering a downward trend, the Odisha government on Tuesday directed officials to remain alert and take all possible measures to protect children in the anticipated outbreak of a third wave of the pandemic.

Though few cases of Covid-19 have been reported among children as compared to adults so far, the State government has approved several recommendations of the Technical Committee, headed by DMET, for paediatric care in the event of a third wave.

In a letter, Additional Chief Secretary (Health) PK Mohapatra has directed all Collectors and CDMOs to make advance preparations including creation of designated wing in existing Covid hospitals and reserving 15 % ICU beds. Clear directions have also been issued to make provision for 155 beds and 65 NICU in the existing 7 medical college and hospitals in the State.

Here are key points of the government’s preparedness:

-Creation of a designated wing for paediatric cases in the existing COVID hospitals for better and safe management of cases as strict isolation of COVID-19 positive Paediatric cases may not be possible in general wards. This may lead to increased transmission of infection to non-infected children. One attendant may be allowed for the patients on consideration by case to case basis.

- All DHHs,SDHs are required to earmark at least 10 beds for isolation of the suspected cases and will take steps for transfer of the symptomatic patients to the appropriate COVID Care Facilities.

-At CHC level, 2 to 4 beds may be earmarked as isolation bed for management of suspected cases until they get transferred to appropriate facility. The wards should be clearly demarked with appropriate signage.

- At Government Medical Colleges in the State the following numbers of beds constituting Isolation, HDU, PICU, SNCU, NICU beds.

Odisha Gears Up To Protect Children During Covid-19 3rd Wave

-All other COVID Care Centres having ICU facilities need be required to earmarked 15% of the capacity to be earmarked for Paediatric patient including NICU, PICU care and isolation. All CDM, PHOs and Collectors of the District are required to ensure the creation of such facilities.

- Considering the total number of General beds to be 10,736 and ICU,HDU beds to be 4,072, following numbers of beds can be earmarked for Paediatrics COVID Care.

Beds earmarked for Paediatric Covid Care

All Superintendents of the Government Medical Colleges & CDM, PHOs of the Districts are advised to keep sufficient stocks of the medicine, consumables, medical Oxygen for the purpose.

- In areas where case loads are expected to be high, establishment of standalone Pediatric COVID Care Facilities shall be considered.

- To start with the facilities created will be managed by the available manpower. The trained manpower may be relocated to facilities short of adequate trained hands.

- Steps for capacity building by online training will be started. Hands on training will also be initiated by identifying doctors, paramedics from the peripheral hospital and deputing them to the nearest Medical College In a planned way.

- The projected required list of equipment, consumables & medicines prepared by a Technical Committee headed by Prof. & HOD, Paediatrics, SCB, MCH, Cuttack is being purchased through OSMCL.

-Superintendent, Sishu Bhawan is directed to explore the possibility creation of "Dedicated COVID Block”. - Breast feeding corner must be established in all the dedicated COVID Facilities.

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