Masks must for hospital staff, mock drills to check Covid preparedness in Jammu and Kashmir

The health authorities in Jammu and Kashmir on Monday conducted a mock drill in hospitals and health institutions to review Covid-19 preparedness while also making it mandatory for the hospital staff to wear face masks in view of the uptick in cases this month.

All the major health institutions, including valley’s premier Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS), Soura in Srinagar, and the hospitals associated with government medical colleges of the UT performed the drill to review Covid preparedness and other health-related facilities.

Bhupinder Kumar, administrative secretary, health and medical education department, J&K, said that the two-day drill was started in UT’s Covid hospitals on the instructions of the Government of India.

“This mock drill is being conducted to take stock of oxygen plants, beds, and necessary medicines in hospitals so that in future if (Covid) hospitalisations increase we are ready to handle that challenge,” said Kumar while talking to the media in Srinagar.

The union territory has recorded a slight increase in Covid cases this month with one death and 64 infections on Sunday, 77 cases on Saturday, 58 on Thursday, 48 on Wednesday, 31 infections on Tuesday, 40 on April 3 and 19 cases on April 2.

“For the past few days, Covid cases are increasing. Although hospital admissions are not increasing the way cases are showing an increase. This is the similar trend prevalent in the country,” he said.

Kumar said that they are reviewing the Covid facilities to check for any shortcomings which can be fulfilled beforehand. He said that they have already instructed staff to wear masks in hospitals. “In hospitals we have implemented the instructions (of mandatory mask wearing). Otherwise, as masks save from infections, the immune-compromised people and those suffering from diseases should wear masks; they should not wait for anybody’s instructions,” he said.

The government has started the genome sequencing lab in SKIMS. “Two more genome sequencing labs –at GMC Srinagar and GMC Jammu- are being commissioned. The engineers have been working on the installations,” he said.

At Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences in Srinagar, dummy patients were used for the drill.

“Dummy patients were arranged for the drill and the disaster ward with 24 beds with all facilities was used for the drill. Consultants and resident staff from general medicine, critical care medicine, and nursing / paramedic staff were present,” said medical superintendent, SKIMS, Dr Farooq A Jan.

The drill was conducted right from the admission of the patient to the final discharge or death of the patient.