Know how Central Govt is bolstering Efforts for COVID-19 Management in Delhi

New Delhi, June 27: In the wake of the sudden surge of coronavirus cases in Delhi, the Centre has been providing facilities in containment and management of COVID-19 in Delhi. Union Home Minister Amit Shah has especially stepped in to combat the virus here. He has chaired meetings with top officials including Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and other top medical officials in order to extend substantial support.

 

 

A 10,000-bedded “Sardar Patel COVID Care Centre” is being developed at Radha Soami Satsang Beas in Chhatarpur, Delhi and around 2,000 beds are being made operational. The entire operation of this Centre, including ensuring the availability of requisite numbers of medical personnel. It will be handled by the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) whereas the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) will lead the process.

 

Meanwhile, a 1000- bedded new greenfield hospital built by DRDO and manned by doctors and paramedical staff from Army would start functioning next week from an area near Dhaula Kuan. This new field hospital would have a referral relationship with AIIMS, New Delhi. The hospital would be equipped with oxygen, ventilators as well as an ICU. Having said that, the central government has procured and distributed 11.11 lakh N95 masks, 6.81 lakh PPE kits, 44.80 lakhs HCQ tablets in Delhi. 425 ventilators were allocated to Delhi and all have been delivered to various hospitals of GNCT.

 

On the other hand, the national capital has 34 Dedicated COVID Hospitals (DCH), 4 Dedicated COVID Health Centres (DCHC), 24 Dedicated COVID Centers (DCCC) to treat COVID-19 patients according to their severity. Thus, a total of 62 facilities in Delhi are engaged in treating COVID-19. The number of these facilities is being increased on a daily basis.

 

Earlier, it was reported that the MHA also directed the Delhi Government to conduct an assessment in respect of every dead individual as regards how many days before death the person was brought to the hospital and from where. A special focus has to be given about whether the person was in home isolation and whether the person was brought to the hospital at the right time or not. Every death has to be reported to the Central Government.

 

 

ICMR has supplied diagnostic material for carrying out 4.7 lakh RT-PCR tests to the 12 functional labs in Delhi, till date. For carrying out the virus tests, it has provided 1.57 lakh RNA extraction kits essential and 2.84 lakh VTMs (Viral Transport Medium) and swabs for collection of Covid-19 samples. Due to sudden spike, it has approved Antigen-based Rapid tests and supplied 50,000 such Antigen Rapid Test Kits to Delhi Government making it all these test kits free of cost to Delhi.

 

Guiding the Delhi government in all technical aspects, the NCDC that comes under Ministry of Health & Family Welfare supported in COVID-19 Surveillance and Response Strategy. These aspects include identification and assessment of quarantine facilities and COVID Care Centres (CCC) at the beginning of pandemic; orientation training and technical support on surveillance, contact tracing and lab aspects including infection prevention and control; data analysis and timely feedback to the Delhi Government on the gaps identified and suggested solutions. With an aim to assist in the for processing of samples by RT-PCR including training of lab professionals of Delhi Government, it has provided laboratory diagnostic support

 

"Technical support by NCDC included the deployment of multiple Central Teams of experts for situational analysis and subsequent recommendations accordingly; deployment of public health experts to coordinate and provide technical inputs to district level teams in the implementation of revised Delhi COVID Response Plan; and planning and execution of Seroprevalence study on COVID 19 in Delhi. The revised Delhi COVID Response Plan has been prepared with the active support of NCDC," the statement read.

 

As earlier reported, the NCDC will also conduct a Serological Survey across Delhi from June 27 to July 10. The blood samples of 20,000 persons will be tested to ascertain the presence of anti-bodies.