Health dept. proposes to designate CIHSR as Covid hospital

Dimapur, May 13 (EMN): With the exponential increase in confirmed Covid-19 cases requiring hospitalisation has overwhelmed the capacity of District Hospital Dimapur, department of Health and Family Welfare has appealed to the state government to designate CIHSR, Dimapur, as Covid-19 hospital.

In a letter to the principal secretary, the principal director of Health and Family Welfare Dr. Neikhrielie Khimiao pointed out that out of the 3656 cases in the state since January 2021, 60% of cases were from Dimapur. According to him the weekly Covid-19 hospital admissions and sample positivity rate was 124 and 50% respectively with 12 deaths during May 1 to the 7th in Dimapur. He added that the hospital bed occupancy rate was at 91% as on May 10.

While the government has directed to reserve at least 50% of beds in private hospitals with in-patient and ICU facilities on May 5, he stated that except for Faith Hospital with 24 beds comprising 10 oxygen supported beds and 14 ICU beds, the remaining private hospitals are yet to come onboard citing various reasons.

He also stated that CIHSR has earmarked a total of 62 beds for COvid-19 cases comprising 23 Covid-19 beds without oxygen support, 21 oxygen supported beds and 18 ICU beds.

The CIHSR being a PPP between three partners- Nagaland state government, Emmanuel Hospital Association (EHA), Delhi, and Christian Medical College (CMC), Vellore, and is a major benefactor of public funding for various infrastructure development, the principal director has urged the government to designate CIHSR as Covid-19 hospital so as to quickly increase the bed capacity for Covid patients from the present 62 beds to 200.

The appeal was made to supplement logistic requirements such as oxygen supply, life saving equipment including ventilators and personal protective gears as per requirement subject to availability with the department and to designate some senior officers at the government and directorate level as nodal officers to coordinate with CIHSR.

He stated that healthcare workers (HCW) under CIHSR who have rendered at least 100 days on Covid-19 duty would be eligible to compete in the special recruitment drive for Covid-19 warriors for regular government appointments through the respective recruitment bodies-NPSC, NSSB or departmental recruitment board.

All HCW under CIHSR on Covid duty would also be covered under the Prime Minister Garib Kalyan package (PMGKP) insurance scheme as well as under the Ex-gratia grant for fatalities to frontline workers due to Covid-19 of the state government.

All HCW under CIHSR on Covid duty rendering 100 days of Covid duty and completing it successfully would be eligible for the Prime Minister’s Distinguished Covid National Service Samman from the government of India. Similarly, distinguished Covid-19 warriors would also be given the state awards.

He added that preference for undergoing further studies would be given to HCW who have rendered at least 100 days on Covid duty and have qualified the entrance examination.

He also stated that HCW under CIHSR on Covid-19 duty requiring isolation to prevent the risk of transmission due to the nature of work would be entitled to free accommodation arranged by the hospital along with INR 300 per head per day during the period of isolation.

Any HCW under CIHSR who contracted Covid-19 while on duty would be entitled for medical reimbursement for the expenditure incurred for the treatment.

The principal director has urged to set up a makeshift hospital in the CIHSR campus to prepare for any undue surge in Covid-19 cases.