Dist admins continue Covid-19 awareness progs

ITANAGAR, Mar 19: Awareness sessions continue across the state with the novel coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic continuing across the globe.
Our Roing correspondent reports: In Lower Dibang Valley’s Roing, over 300 people entering the district on Thursday, were screened at the Shantipur check gate by a medical team from the district hospital here, led by DMO Dr R Tatan, using infra-red thermometers.
The DMO had informed that his medical team will be stationed 24/7 at the check gate and any person who is found to be having a body temperature exceeding 99.5°F will be quarantined.
“All medical staff from our CHCs and PHCs have been mobilized to ensure 100 percent screening at the check gate without exhausting the health providers,” said Dr Tatan, adding that he has given strict instructions that each and every person should be screened without any exception or categorizing.
Dr Tatan informed that the youth hostel located at Ezengo near the bypass road, has been identified as the quarantine centre, and all arrangements for the same have been made there, wherein any suspect will have to be quarantined for 14 days.
Apart from this, a section of the DH has also been prepped as an isolation centre and a flu corner has also been arranged next to the ticket counter. Isolation of any detected case at their respective circles of the district has also been arranged.
He also informed that any person segregated for quarantine will be stamped using indelible ink (voter’s ink) for easy identification.
On 14 March, the district hospital received 200 N95 masks, 900 surgical masks, 1200 gloves, 20 Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), and three virus transportation medium(VTM). Also, any sample collected will be transferred using the VTM to ICMR-Regional Medical Research Centre in Dibrugarh, Assam for testing.
Meanwhile, Dr Tatan has appealed to the public to not panic and refrain from following rumours about the Covid-19. He has requested people arriving from outside the district, especially students and their parents, to be responsible and cooperative in the containment.
Earlier, the DMO and his team had also apprised the gaon burahs and all the MOICs about the ongoing pandemic and made them aware of how to prevent it from spreading.
In East Siang district, Deputy Commissioner Dr Kinny Singh directed the health department staff and other participants to be prepared for any eventuality and to make proper treatment strategies.
The DC was addressing health professionals, technicians, private clinics, NGOs, student unions, bazaar committee and others during a district health society organised training programme on 18 March at the Bakin Pertin General (BPG) Hospital, Pasighat in East Siang district.
The DC advised providing proper treatment, investigation and compilation of flu-like cases, apart from the screening of passengers entering the district and reporting them.
“It is the sole responsibility of health care staff to contain the disease” the DC said and requested them not to leave their stations.
DMO Dr Kaling Dai said that the prime target is to screen people coming from infected places and activation of the rapid response teams in the district. He also informed that availing of any leave is banned henceforth.
BPG Hospital Joint Director (T&R), Dr Dokum Raina called on the health delivery staff of the district to be united and fight against the viral disease while maintaining proper precaution.
He also informed that strict action will be taken against non-performing staff, and gave strict instructions to the staff against switching off their phones to avoid emergency duties.
District Surveillance Officer Dr Tarik Talom informed that quarantine centres have been placed at the old girls’ hostel of the IGJ Government Higher Secondary School, Pasighat; the isolation ward at the BPG Hospital, Pasighat. A self-reporting centre and a control room for Covid-19 in East Siang district is being worked out.
Dr Talom suggested placing a vehicle for anti-Covid-19 activities in the district.
He also informed that a ‘Rumour Register’ is being maintained at all health delivery centres, and the training topics and logistics will be provided to all medical officers-in-charge. Minimal required viral transportation medium, masks, PPE are in the stock now.
The district surveillance officer suggested organizing a sensitization meeting on the Covid-19 at all health delivery centres, including the BPG Hospital, Pasighat.
In Changlang district, ADC SS Choudhury reviewed the ongoing efforts of local police and medical department to contain the Covid-19, on Thursday. He visited the daily market area in Jairampur banned further selling of livestock products.
He reprimanded the bazaar committee for not cleaning the market area and warned of cancelling their licenses if they continue to be reckless.
As a precautionary step, he suspended the weekly market till the situation normalized and assured to take stringent steps against the violators. He also advised the parents whose wards are returning from outside the state to monitor their wards for some days and to contact the health authorities if they detect any symptoms.
Choudhury also took stock of the Jairampur and Taipong police check gates where teams from the health department were stationed to screen incoming commuters.
Local MLA Laisam Simai appreciated the alertness reflected by Nampong SDO Ibom Tao and Jairampur ADC SS Choudhury in implementing precautionary measures to prevent the region from the infection. He also asked the public to follow the advice propounded by the local administration.
At the governor’s secretariat, an awareness session on the Covid-19 was conducted for the employees of the Raj Bhavan on 19 March, wherein Raj Bhavan Dispensary Senior Medical Officer Dr Jennifer Tayeng briefed the employees about the epidemiology of Covid-19, globally and in India; preventive measures through personal hygiene and etiquette.
Dr Tayeng, who is also a state trainer on Covid-19 awareness campaign, said that spread of Covid-19 can be contained if all the staff avoid closed crowded spaces; maintain distance of one metre; refrain from touching their own faces, nose and mouth; avoid physical contact like shaking hands and religiously follow frequent hand hygiene and respiratory etiquette.
She advised the staff to follow the seven steps of hand washing: Wet your hands and apply enough soap (coin size); rub your palms together; rub the back of each hand; rub both your hands while interlocking your fingers; rub the back of your fingers; rub the tips of your fingers; rub your thumbs and the ends of your wrists and rinse both hands properly with water.
For easy catch up of the employees, she suggested the mnemonic ‘SUMAN K’ – ‘Seedha Ulta Mutthi Anghuta Nakhun Kalhai’ in hand washing with soap and water or a 70 percent alcohol-based sanitizer.
The SMO cautioned the staff against bulk purchasing of mask and hand sanitizers, which she said deprives other people of the vital items, thereby inviting faster spread of the disease.
“You are not safe till others near you are safe,” she said.
Dr Tayeng asked the staff to home quarantine any relatives coming from Covid-19 infected places having symptoms of any respiratory infections, like cough, for at least 14 days before allowing them to move around. She emphasized on seeking medical care immediately in case they find common symptoms including fever, fatigue, dry cough and breathing difficulty in their ward.
Dr Tayeng warned against rumour mongers and said that action may be initiated by the administration against them by invoking powers conferred under section 2 of the Epidemic Disease Act, 1897. (Regulation no. 9).