‘CHCs, PHCs will follow Govt guidelines to restore services’

Kanpur: The state government on Wednesday has restored all emergency services at the primary health and community health centres in the districts and directed them to start general OPD services.
The government had stopped all emergency and essential services at PHCs and CHCs to check the spread of coronavirus .
Principal secretary, health, Amit Mohan Prasad, in a letter to the district officials and the chief medical officers of all districts of the state has stated that since coronavirus would continue to spread, the health services could not be suspended for a long time, and therefore, health services at OPDs at PHCs, CHCs and private nursing homes should be restored after following the protocol.
Chief medical officer Dr Ashok Shukla said that health services would be resumed in the private nursing homes and 42 PHCs and 10 CHCs of the district. The PHCs and CHCs have to follow the guidelines issued by the government, he said.
Under the guidelines, every visitor, before entering the health centre, must be screened and wear a mask. Only one attendant can accompany the patient. Separate arrangements would be made for the patients suffering from coryza, cough or having breathing problems. The staff is also required to wear masks and gloves.
There health centres will make arrangements of more registration counters where the number of patients is more and social distancing must be followed. Patients suffering from non- communicable diseases such as diabetes and high blood pressure must be given medicines for one month so that they do not have to visit hospitals again and again. Wearing masks and gloves would be mandatory for all employees and there should be arrangements for washing hands. Rules of social distancing must be followed at the waiting room outside an OPD.
The CMO said private hospitals which have one or two doctors can give OPD services but they have to examine four to five patients in one hour. Wearing gloves, masks and PPE kit would be mandatory for all hospital employees.
Screening of patients should be held at separate places and all employees must be trained to follow the protocol. They have to manage proper disposal of biomedical waste. Attendants of 60 years or more would not be allowed to visit the hospital with a patient.