Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur on Friday asked the doctors to ensure timely and proper treatment of COVID-19 patients and said a casual approach in this regard would be viewed seriously.

While addressing the Deputy Commissioners, Superintendents of Police and Chief Medical Officers of the state through video conferencing from Shimla, the CM said that doctors and para-medical staff should adopt humane approach while treating Covid- 19 patients and adopt proper clinical protocol.

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He said that adequate stock of essential medicine must also be made available in the hospitals, besides ensuring availability of oxygen cylinders. He said that presently RTPCR facilities were being provided in eight health institutions of the state. He said that in addition to this, CB-NAAT facility in two institutions and TRU-NAAT facility was being provided in 25 institutions of the state.

Expressing concern over the increase in number of deaths due to COVID-19 in the state, the Chief Minister said that senior doctors and specialists must take special interest in treating such patients and provide the patients best possible treatment. He said that although death rate in Himachal Pradesh was 0.46 per hundred cases, which was quite low as compared to national rate of 1.8 death per hundred cases.

Thakur said that home isolation facilities for asymptomatic patients must be encouraged as this would not only reduce the load on COVID-19 hospitals but also provide them a homely atmosphere.

He said that ASHA and health workers would daily visit such patients at their homes to monitor their health status. He said that the institutional quarantine centres must strictly adhere to Standard Operating Procedures laid down by the government so that the virus does not spread further.

The Chief Minister said that micro containment zones must be identified in case of COVID-19 patients to ensure better management of these zones. He said that tourists with Influenza Like Illness (ILI) symptoms must not be allowed into the state and only those tourists who have followed the guidelines laid by the state Government should be allowed to enter the state. He said that there was no shortage of PPE kits, oxygen cylinders and ventilators in the State.

Thakur said that border districts must also ensure that no one enters the district without valid pass and strict vigil should be kept on porous borders. He said that industrial units must also strictly adhere to the guidelines laid down by the State Government to allow movement of their workers. He said that the labourers entering the State should also be medically examined and kept in quarantine and only after that they should be allowed to work in farms as well as various projects.

The CM said that additional force in the form of Home Guard Jawans would be provided in Police District Baddi to ensure strict vigil on the movement of industrial workers. He said that steps should also be taken to protect the corona warriors like doctors, para medical staff, police personnel, sanitary workers etc. from getting infected from the virus.

Health Minister Dr. Rajiv Saizal said that special emphasis must be laid on providing better facilities in quarantine centres. He said that the government has made adequate arrangements in Covid care centres and Covid hospitals to ensure proper treatment of patients.

Chief Secretary Anil Khachi directed the officers to strictly follow the guidelines issued by the State Government from time to time. He said that extra precaution must be taken to tackle asymptomatic patients.

Additional Chief Secretary Home Manoj Kumar, Additional Chief Secretary Health R D Dhiman, Director General of Police Sanjay Kundu, Principal Secretary Revenue Onkar Sharma, Special Secretary DC Rana and other officers attended the meeting.