Kin to get bodies without waiting for test report

LUCKNOW: Additional chief secretary, health and family welfare, Amit Mohan Prasad on Friday said all the hospitals in the state have been directed to hand over bodies of patients to the family members for the last rites without waiting for the test report.

After the Covid pandemic began, the family members were allowed to take the body for last rites only after getting the laboratory test reports. Till then, the bodies were kept in the mortuary and the family members remained in a state of confusion, he said. In view of the problems faced by people, chief minister Yogi Adityanath directed the health department to amend the order to hand over the body to the families for cremation. The health department has issued an order to this effect now. All bodies will be cremated according to the Covid protocol, he said.

HELPDESK IN CHCS, PHCS

The state health department has decided to set up a Covid helpdesk in the primary health centres (PHC) and community health centres (CHC). The department has already ordered start of general OPD services in PHCs and CHCs. Patients with coronavirus infection symptom will be referred to the help desk for screening, additional chief secretary, health and family welfare, Amit Mohan Prasad said.

The help desk will be equipped with thermal scanners, infrared thermometer and pulse oximeter machines. The infected patients will be sent to isolation wards of designated Covid hospitals by ambulance, he said.