BMC health department has issued its own set of guidelines to curb the spread of coronavirus pandemic and provide treatment to the patients. The suspected COVID-19 patients and those come in their contact with high risk category can be checked in all civic dispensaries. The Fever Clinics have been opened in every region and it is necessary for everyone having fever to get themselves checked and if the medical officer finds some of them with COVID-19 symptoms they should be immediately referred to the Covid Care Centre for further treatment.
The list of Covid Care Centres I and II will be displayed at the Fever Clinics for the benefit of the patients and their relatives. CCC1 is used for quarantining high-risk contacts and have to be in standalone buildings while CCC2 type isolation facilities for patients who are asymptomatic, mildly symptomatic and need basic treatment. Further, the list of Dedicated Covid Health Centre (DCHC) will also be displayed where COVID-19 mild and minor patients are treated.
These guidelines have been released by the executive health officer Dr Padmaja Keskar and joint executive health officer Dr Mangala Gomare.
The health department has suggested that the medical officers especially from the restricted or prohibited areas should organise medical camps to conduct COVID test of suspected patients and high risk persons and later they will have to go in for self quarantine. The local health officers were directed to treat them through teleconsultation. If the suspected patients lack self-quarantine facility then they will be shifted to CCC I facility where BMC will conduct COVID test free of cost for one time between 7 and 14 days.
Further, after tested COVID-19 positive, the patients will be shifted to CCC 2 facility at the earliest for further treatment. The number of CCC 2 centres will be increased as per the requirement.
The health department expects active participation of elected representatives and their followers to run an awarness campaign about facilities where COVID-19 test is conducted. For pregnant women it is binding for conducting COVID-19 test and if they detect positive they will have to be admitted in the dedicated hospitals.
The health centres will conduct a survey of citizens of 40 to 60 years of age and those above 60 years of age. According to these guidelines, the local health officers have been asked to refer patients with high blood pressure, diabetes, immunocompromise and HIV to DCHC and Dedicated Covid Hospital and not in CCC1 and CCC2 centres for further treatment.
