SOP ready for Covid care at 29 first-line treatment centres
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Health department has come out with a standard operating procedure (SOP) for healthcare in Covid First-Line Treatment Centres (CFLTC). The SOP was released after it was decided to admit Covid-19 cases who are asymptomatic or with mild symptoms to CFLTCs. According to the department, though there is adequate number of Covid hospitals (CH) to meet the current situation, they might become insufficient if the state has to deal with community spread.
“The pandemic is expected to continue for a long time and sustained efforts need to be in place. At the same time, at least one healthcare institution at the peripheral level will have to be reserved to manage non-Covid cases, including maternal and child health and mental healthcare. CFLTCs aim to bridge this gap,” the SOP says.It says Covid-19 cases will now be screened at CFLTCs. Triaging will take place there. If the patient is asymptomatic or has mild symptoms, he/she will be admitted to CFLTC. If the condition is serious or severe, the patient will be referred to the CH.
CFLTC could be any facility like auditoriums, marriage halls or indoor stadiums which could accommodate at least 50 patients at a time. Also, there should be adequate facilities for ward-like arrangements (preferred) or individual rooms with adequate furniture. To avoid transmission within CFLTC, healthcare workers and patients have been asked to ensure precaution at all times, including physical distancing.
Considering recent incidents of suicides at Government Medical College, Thiruvananthapuram — one by a recovered patient and another by a suspected case — the doctors attached to the CFLTC were asked to conduct psychological assessment of patients during clinical rounds daily.
“Four doctors will be posted for 14 days and duty will be divided into six shifts. If the number of patients increases, more doctors should be posted. Minimum two clinical rounds per day shall be conducted at CFLTC as per requirement. A psychological assessment should be done during the clinical rounds. Management of comorbidities should also be done,” says an excerpt from the SOP.
What it says
For those in need of specialist consultation, telemedicine facilities will be arranged in the hub-and- spoke model. Confidentiality and gender sensitivity have to be ensured in such cases
In case of dietary services, the SOP says patients, staff and bystanders should be given a balanced diet and drinking water at the CFLTC. Diet should be provided for free after ensuring cleanliness and quality