Bengal adopts three-layered mechanism to fight third wave

kolkata: With an aim to fight a possible third wave of Covid and to put in place adequate infrastructure, the state Health department has adopted three-layered mechanisms.

All the medical college hospitals and various teaching institutions have been asked to ensure quality control initiatives so that the infection can be checked. There must be an infection control team in each medical college and hospital. The primary objective of this would be to keep various wards free from infections, especially the labour rooms. It is apprehended that women and infants may be more vulnerable to the Covid third wave.

Health department officials will monitor the quality control parameters at the hospitals from time to time.

The step has been taken as the experts have pointed out that more infants and children may be infected with Covid during the third wave compared to the other two previous waves. According to the experts, mothers may be infected in large numbers if their children are infected.

In another initiative, all the district health officials have already been instructed to arrange adequate infrastructure for the children in the district and sub-divisional hospitals.

Health department is putting adequate critical units in paediatric care ahead of an anticipatory third wave.

Around 2,348 critical care beds will be put in place to combat the unforeseen situation. As many as 1550 CCU beds, 528 PICU beds and 270 NICU beds will be augmented.

A total 2,476 SNCU beds would be made functional in the state. Infrastructure augmentation works have been initiated.

In another mechanism, training of health workers has been given utmost importance ahead of the third wave.

Online training is being conducted to make the health workers aware how to combat the situation if the third wave hits. Teams of senior doctors have been constituted in this regard.

Training is being conducted at various levels by the civic bodies as well. Kolkata Municipal Corporation doctors are being trained as to how the children can be provided with the best quality treatment if there is a third wave.

The doctors from the KMC and other civic bodies who will fight the battle from the front will be given training as to how the best services can be extended to the children. The training would also throw light as to how to treat patients at the Safe Homes.

KMC has already opened Safe Homes keeping the third wave in mind.