A circular issued by the Department of Medical and Rural Health Services said that all private clinical establishments are now empowered to establish isolation wards.
In view of ramping up preparedness to contain the spread of novel coronavirus in Tamil Nadu, the Department of Medical and Rural Health Services, in a circular issued on March 17 addressed to all private clinical establishments in the state, allowed them to establish isolation wards in their own facilities as per specified norms. These private clinical establishments include private hospitals and private diagnostic labs.
The circular specifies that all private clinical establishments in the state are now empowered to treat people suspected to have COVID-19 in isolation wards with proper intimation to the Directorate of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Chennai.
This comes in the wake of several allegations by health experts and citizens that the state government and state health department officials were refusing treatment to many, some with COVID-19 symptoms and some with symptoms and travel history. TNM had earlier reported instances where those suspected to have COVID-19 were turned away from testing at the Rajiv Gandhi Government Hospital in Chennai.
This new circular also states that these establishments can request testing of coronavirus serology to the five accredited testing centres – King Institute of Preventive Medicine & Research, Guindy, Chennai, National Institute of Virology, Pune, Theni VRDL, Thiruvarur VRDL and Tirunelveli VRDL. Results of these samples will be shared within a period of 48 hours.
The circular also lists the standard operating procedure for taking samples from people suspected to have COVID-19 and the protocols for running isolation wards. The request for COVID-19 testing can either be made to the 24 x 7 control room attached to the Directorate of Public Health and Preventive Medicine in Chennai on the list of specified contact numbers or the private hospital or lab can take samples on their own by strictly adhering to protocol, and courier samples via designated courier services to designated laboratories.
The circular also mentions that the private clinical establishments are required to submit a daily report of admissions, status and discharge of symptomatic persons to the Directorate of Public Health and Preventive Medicine.
Source: The News Minute