‘Setting up care centres subject to SOPs’

Sanjay Bumbroo

Tribune News Service

Mohali, May 11

The district administration today clarified that everyone cannot be granted the permission for setting up a Covid care facility in the district as establishing such facilities was subject to standard operating procedures (SOPs) laid down by the Punjab Government.

Deputy Commissioner Girish Dayalan said the Department of Health and Family Welfare, Punjab, had laid down SOPs for setting up a Covid care facility and any deviation from the protocol could be catastrophic.

He said: “Many philanthropists, smaller hospitals, RWAs, religious institutions and NGOs have offered assistance in combating Covid by setting up L1 and L2 Covid care centres, but everyone cannot be permitted to do so since establishing a care facility is subject to certain mandatory requirements.”

Dayalan said adequate manpower, including teams of doctors/ paramedics, medicine, food supply, basic infrastructure such as beds, fans, washrooms, separate enclosures for symptomatic/ asymptomatic or male/female patients, 24*7 electricity/water, ambulance, sterilisation of the premises, link with at least two higher (L2 or L3) facilities was a must. “Besides, donning/doffing area, oxygen supply, ventilation, control room, basic training, emergency bay are a few basic minimum requirements for setting up L1/L2 Covid care facilities. Without these, the permission to set up a care facility cannot be granted,” he added.

Dayalan said meeting all requirements single-handedly by an individual/non-healthcare institution was challenging and wavering from the guidelines could prove to be detrimental to the healthcare delivery system and could lead to the spread of Covid faster.

He said likeminded people/organisations might pool resources and run a Covid care facility. Inspection and certification from the team of officials of the district administration and Health Department was a must, he said.