Asking doctors to increase COVID-19 testing, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said that contact tracing was an important tool for prevention of the spread of infection and hence this be done with patience and in an organised manner.
“The need of the hour is to conduct more COVID-19 tests and ramp up rapid antigen testings. Besides, use plasma therapy for treatment of serious patients,” Yogi said while presiding over the Unlock review meeting at his residence in Lucknow on Wednesday.
Asking officials to carry forward the mass awareness programme on prevention from coronavirus, Yogi said that television, radio, newspapers, banners, posters, hoardings and public address systems be used to disseminate awareness.
The chief minister said that the state government was actively engaged in ensuring quality medicare to 23 crore population. Issuing directives for better arrangements in Covid hospitals, he said the government had set up Level-1, Level-2 and Level-3 hospitals for better treatment of patients.
“Activities in containment zones should be restricted while following rules strictly to control coronavirus spread. At the same time, the supply of essentials should be ensured so that residents do not face any inconvenience,” the chief minister said.
Yogi stressed on proper functioning of Covid helpdesk in various offices and institutions and ensuring availability of pulse oximeter, infra-red thermometer and sanitiser there.
The chief minister directed additional chief secretary (medical education) to do on-the-spot review of arrangements in Kanpur Nagar and chalk out a strategy to improve health services there.
Yogi said, “In order to improve health services at district level, chief medical officers should convene meeting of office-bearers of Indian Medical Association (IMA) and nursing home owners and chart out an action plan.”
Yogi asserted that treatment of patients should not be affected for want of medicine and hence adequate medicines should be available with all the hospitals.
The chief minister also asked officials to increase the number of beds in Level-2 and Level-3 Covid hospitals and said that ventilators should be functional in these hospitals. He also underlined the importance of tele-medicine and stressed on publicising ‘E-Sanjivani’ - online OPD services of Union Health Ministry so that more people could benefit from the facility.
Yogi said that from infants to old persons, all Covid patients had been treated successfully. “It is pertinent to study the case history of such patients and consult experts on this. Such studies may help improve recovery of Covid patients as there is vaccine or medicine for Corona as yet,” he said.