LG Sinha asks official to augment beds in Valley

Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Wednesday directed senior health officials to add 1,050 oxygen-supported beds in the Kashmir division to ensure immediate treatment for people requiring hospitalisation amid a surge in COVID-19 cases.
Increased bed capacity with oxygen should be ready within a week. It will substantially improve the health infrastructure and help patients in the hour of crisis, he said.
Chairing a series of meetings with senior doctors and chief medical officers of Kashmir Division at the Civil Secretariat here, Sinha reviewed the COVID-19 situation and containment measures put in place to effectively control the contagion.
Emphasizing on taking comprehensive measures for better patient care management, he directed CMOs to triage and ensure judicious referrals, adding that district hospitals are fully equipped to handle COVID cases.
The L-G also directed officials to make sure effective and prompt availability of ambulance services and asked doctors to talk to people about COVID-related standard operating procedures, besides highlighting information on COVID-control measures through various media.
"Our priority is to break the chain of virus for which combined and collective efforts need to be taken to save lives," Sinha said.
Vaccination must be done on a war footing to reduce the mortality rate. Focused attention needs to be given towards COVID-19 testing and contact tracing, besides speedy completion of the process of the first dose of vaccine, the Lt Governor added.
He instructed officials to start starting vaccination in each municipal ward and called for the deployment of more mobile vans for the purpose.
Srinagar Municipal Corporation Commissioner Athar Amir Khan informed the meeting that mobile vans are operating in 36 municipal wards and will be increased in the coming days.
Lauding the medical fraternity for their tireless effort in the fight against the viral virus, Sinha urged them to work with added zeal and dedication in a well-coordinated manner to defeat COVID-19.