Kejri holds meet to review Omicron preparedness
Jai Prakash Narayan Hospital in Delhi designated as facility to treat patients infected with new coronavirus variant
Dedicated in keeping the threat of new Covid-19 variant ‘Omicron’ in Delhi at bay, chief minister Arvind Kejriwal held a crucial meeting with highranking officials on Tuesday to review the state’s preparedness.
Addressing the media, Kejriwal said that he has been personally monitoring Covid situation, ensuring that Delhi is wellequipped for any incoming threat of the Omicron variant.
Kejriwal said: “The Omicron variant of coronavirus has increased people’s anxieties all over the world. We hope and pray that it doesn’t enter or spread in India. But in case of the probable threat, it is our duty as a responsible government, to arrange all required preparations beforehand in order to tackle the virus. Today, I held a meeting with all concerned departments to discuss and assess the preparations, and took note of the status of facilities available. The discussion covered the number of beds available, the number of beds needed additionally, testing rates and requirements, oxygen requirement, vaccination status, ICU requirement, manpower and the like.”
After chairing a highlevel meeting with all concerned authorities to review the state’s preparedness
against Covid, Kejriwal informed that the government has up the ante and plans carved for health services which includes beds, oxygen, medicines and vaccines to reach every ward and every single person in Delhi.
“In Delhi, 30,000 Covid beds are ready, with 100 beds per ward to be arranged as and when required on a two-week notice. Medicine stocks are currently being added, and home isolation arrangements are being strengthened. Oxygen supply and storage is being bolstered and telemetry devices to provide real time oxygen tracking are being installed in all oxygen facilities,” Kejriwal informed.
He further said: “Around 6,000 oxygen cylinders have been imported and 15 oxygen tankers bought to prevent oxygen shortage. 97 per cent Delhiites have received the first dose of the vaccine, and 57 per cent are fully vaccinated.”
The CM concluded by urging people to get their second dose soon, and said that Delhi is prepared to deal with any possible threat of another wave.
The CM held a high-level meeting at the Delhi Secretariat and intricately assessed these preparations. The review meeting mainly focused on the current situation of Covid, testing and prevention measures, upgradation and increasing Covid beds, training of people for Covid management, procurement of medicines, home isolation and 1031 helpline, oxygen supply, and vaccination numbers.
The government also discussed genome sequencing, screening preparation of passengers landing at the IGI airport. Health minister Satyendar Jain, revenue minister Kailash Gahlot, chief secretary Vijay Kumar Dev and all senior officers of every department involved including DCs were present
at the review meeting.
Kejriwal further said: “Oxygen supply and shortage was a major crisis during the second wave. It is estimated that all the hospitals in Delhi have a combined oxygen capacity of 750 MT. The biggest obstacle last time was regarding the distribution of oxygen. To deal with storage and distribution problem of oxygen we have constructed extra storage facilities of 442 MT. Delhi has also constructed PSA plants to produce oxygen within the state and not rely on supply from outside. 121 MT oxygen has begun to be produced within Delhi. This way we will avoid the oxygen crisis which we faced last time, and ensure that hospitals do not run out of oxygen supply in any circumstance.”
Accoring to Kejriwal, the government is in a war footing position and have ensured that telemetry equipment is installed in each small or large oxygen storage facility. With the installation of such devices, data will be shared in real time on the dashboard in the war rooms.
The Delhi government is also focusing on increasing manpower for Covid management, so that if the rate of infection picks up, there is no shortage of doctors, nurses and paramedic staff. For this, the Delhi government has given special training in Covid management to medical students, nurses and paramedical staff along with specialist doctors.
The government has trained a total of 15,370 healthcare workers which includes 4,673 doctors, 1,707 medical students, 6,265 nurses and 2,726 paramedics. They have been given training in oxygen therapy, Covid management, paediatric ward covid management.
The Delhi government has also roped in five thousand health assistants. Health assistants have been given basic training in nursing, paramedics, home care, blood pressure measurement, vaccination etc. Health assistants will work as assistants to doctors and nurses and will not be able to take decisions on their own. With their help, doctors will be able to work more efficiently and patients will also be taken care of very well.
The Delhi government has issued a Covid helpline number — 1031, to help Covid patients during any problem. This helpline number works 24x7. It employs employees in three shifts, who can attend 600 to 700 calls. If there is an increase in the call number, the number of employees will be increased. By calling the helpline number, one can get oxygen cylinders, teleconsultation, pulse oximeters, medicine kits, vaccination information and information on availability of hospital beds, home isolation, ambulance services and tests.
The Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) has decided to conduct RT-PCR testing on all people arriving from ‘high-risk’ countries, genome sequencing of the positive cases and mandatorily isolating the passengers according to the Centre’s guidelines.
The Delhi health department has designated Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan Hospital as the dedicated facility to treat patients infected with the Omicron variant of the coronavirus. The hospital has been asked to earmark wards for isolating and treating such patients.