Bhubaneswar: In the wake of a rise in novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) infection among the healthcare workers (HCW) deployed in hospitals, the State Government has issued a fresh set of guidelines.
The Government has stressed on the fact that the HCWs are on the frontline in this war against the deadly virus and hence also the most vulnerable to the infection. It states that the onus of prevention and control of the infection lies not only on the HCWs but also with the hospital management.
Accordingly, the Health and Family Welfare Department issued the following guidelines:
1: All hospitals shall follow the advisory for managing HCWs working in COVID-19 and non-COVID areas of the hospital issued by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Directorate General of Health Services (EMR Division) Dt June 18, 2020.
2: All private hospitals shall ensure that completion on infection prevention and control measures (IPC) within seven days and must submit a certificate that all their staff are trained in and are following the prescribed IPC required during the present COVID-19 pandemic.
3: All the private hospitals must submit the name of the nodal officer with his/her phone number and e-mail address to the Director of Public Health, Odisha.
4: All hospitals shall establish a dedicated fever clinic and reserve an isolated area for management of suspected/confirmed cases of COVID-19. This area shall be managed by dedicated staff who shall not be deployed in other areas of the hospital.
5: No patient who is COVID-19 positive shall be transferred to dedicated COVID-19 hospitals unless being stabilized and transportable. Referral and transfer shall be done only with intimation to and confirmation from the referred hospitals.
6: No public conveyance shall be allowed for the transportation of COVID-19 patients. The patients shall be transported in a dedicated ambulance with use of recommended PPE by the staff. After transportation, the vehicles must be sanitized.
7: All the cases of ILI, SARI. Suspected or confirmed cases of COVID-19 must be mandatorily notified to the District, Local Urban Body/ State Public Health Authority or IDSP Cell.
