With the spike in coronavirus positive cases in several districts, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has asked the SGPGI Director to send teams of experts to Kanpur Nagar, Varanasi, Prayagraj, Bareilly, Jhansi and Gorakhpur where special efforts are needed to improve COVID-19 treatment facilities.

Yogi directed officials to constitute a team for better coordination in Lucknow and asked them to arrange private rooms for the COVID-19 patients admitted to SGPGI and KGMU in Lucknow.

“The district magistrate, chief medical officer, principal of medical college, senior faculty, deputy chief medical officer in-charge of Covid hospitals and ventilator operators should be present during the visit of such teams of experts to the respective districts,” Yogi said while presiding over the unlock review meeting at his official residence here on Thursday.

All these districts have recorded a spike in coronavirus cases, spreading fear among the people. The local hospitals are over-crowded and complaints are coming thick and fast about mismanagement in the hospitals.

“Provide all the basic facilities to coronavirus- affected persons. There should not be any shortage of funds for this,” the chief minister said and asked officials to make available Rs 3 crore to the districts having population below 25 lakh and Rs 5 crore to the district having above 25 lakh population.

He said that the amount made available to the districts should be spent on the recommendation of the committee of DM, CDO and CMO.

The chief minister said there should be availability of beds for coronavirus infected people. He asked officials to ensure an adequate number of beds in Level-2 and Level-3 Covid hospitals.

He said all the doctors should take rounds in the hospitals whereas the availability of oxygen and ventilators should be ensured in the hospitals as per their category.

“Use technology to monitor home isolated patients. Besides, ramp up COVID-19 testing to one lakh per day, out of which 40,000 per day by RT-PCR and 65,000 by rapid antigen method,” the chief minister said.

He further directed DG (Health) and DG (Medical Education) to maintain regular dialogue with in-charges of Covid hospitals and principals of the medical colleges respectively. He asked officials to carry on the work related to contact tracing, door-to-door survey and antigen testing arrangement for coronavirus suspects.

He also directed officials to set up Level-2 Covid hospitals in every district and appoint a nodal officer for them.

The chief minister said that half of the ambulances of ‘108’ service should be used for COVID-19 patients and half for non-Covid patients. He asked officers to ensure that ambulances engaged in Covid works were not used elsewhere.

“The personnel of ambulances should be provided honorarium, masks, gloves and sanitiser,” the chief minister said and added that vehicles should be provided for surveillance work.

He also directed officials to provide dialysis facilities to the Covid patients, if required, in SGPGI, KGMU and Ram Manohar Lohia Institute of Medical Sciences. He issued specific directions to get paediatric institute of BRD Medical College, Gorakhpur ready by August 15, 2020.