Health Ministry Urges Central Ministries, PSUs To Dedicate Their Hospital Beds For COVID Management In States, UTs

Amid the alarming surge in Covid-19 cases in the country, the government on Friday (16 April) urged the Central ministries and their public sector enterprises (PSUs) to dedicate their medical facilities for management of Covid situation in states and UTs.

The move comes as the active Covid-19 cases in the country have crossed 15.5 lakh mark and daily new cases have been exceeding 2 lakh mark for the last two days.

"Union Health Ministry has advised all central Ministries to issue instructions to the hospitals under their control or their PSUs to set-up exclusive dedicated hospital wards or separate blocks within the hospitals for COVID Care, as was done last year," an official release said on Friday.

According to the Health Ministry, the move is expected to be a significant measure to "substantially augment the hospital infrastructure for effective clinical management of severe COVID-19 patients across the country".

The ministry has further advised that hospitals/blocks ministries and PSUs should have separate entry and exit points for the management of COVID19 cases, to provide treatment services including specialised care for the confirmed cases.

Additionally, these dedicated hospital wards or blocks have to be equipped to provide all supportive and ancillary services including Oxygen supported beds, ICU beds, ventilators and specialised Critical Care Units (wherever available), laboratory services, imaging services, kitchen, laundry etc., along with dedicated health work force, it said.

In the letter written to the Central Ministries, the Union Health Secretary had reiterated that the present situation of sudden surge in the COVID cases across the country calls for similar supportive action as last year from all such Central ministries, departments and their PSUs and the hospitals under their control.

In order for the public to avail of the required treatment at these hospital wards/blocks, the Central ministries have been also been advised that details of such dedicated hospital wards, blocks are provided to the public, duly coordinating with the respective health departments or district health administration of states ,UTs.