NASHIK :
In the wake of increasing cases of Covid-19 in the district, particularly the outbreak in Malegaon, Zilla Parishad Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Leena Bansod who has been appointed as the incident manager by district collector Suraj Mandhare, has prepared an action plan to control the outbreak of Coronavirus pandemic in rural areas.
“On an experimental basis, COVID-19 Centres have been set up in five talukas of the district. It is however not yet known which of these five talukas are,” official sources informed.
If a patient with corona-like symptoms is found, he will be treated at the COVID19 Care Centre in the village. In the first phase, about 8500 potential patients are expected to be admitted at the centres and the administration has started work to acquire schools, hostels and private hospitals in each of the villages in shortlisted five talukas of the district.
The number of COVID-19 positive patients in the district has crossed 125-mark, most of whom are from Malegaon. Although the situation is under control in the rural areas, the central government, however, is preparing for worst-case scenario anticipating that the corona cases may increase in the near future. Therefore, precautionary measures are being taken on war foot to prevent the spread of the disease in rural areas.
Incident manager Bansod has prepared an action plan to deal with Corona disease in three phases considering the availability of health equipment, manpower and medicines in the rural areas of the district. Accordingly, COVID19 Care Centres will be started in every village at the primary level.
For this, 56 villages have been selected in the first phase. If any person in the village shows symptoms of the corona-like disease, he will be examined by a medical team at the village centre. The swab samples will be taken and forwarded the next level for testing.
If the patient’s report found negative, he will be either home quarantined or institutional quarantined. He will be monitored for the next fourteen days. However, in case the report is positive, the patient will be treated in the same designated isolation care centre.
Medical officers and health workers of the Zilla Parishad have been appointed at these care centres. Apart from this, primary health care centres (PHCs), rural hospitals and health services under the jurisdiction of the municipal corporation will also provide services at these rural COVID19 care centres. “In the first phase, altogether 8,470 patients can be accommodated and treated in these COVID19 Care Centres across the district, informed ZP CEO Leena Bansod.
Preparing for dedicated COVID19 health care centres
In the second phase, dedicated COVID19 health care centres have also been proposed, in which a patient with corona-like symptoms, but not with a serious threat to his health will be kept under the supervision of a medical team.
For this, Nashik and Malegaon municipal corporations as well as private and government hospitals within the limits of municipalities and Nagar Panchayats in the district will provide every possible assistance. As many as 77 places have been identified for dedicated COVID-19 health care centres.
