Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, Jan 15: The Directorate of Health Services, Kashmir (DHSK) today said that the COVID, as well as non-COVID services, will continue across Kashmir while underlining that the hospitals are not witnessing a surge in the admissions of COVID cases even as the number of positive cases witness spike every passing day.
Addressing a press conference here, Director, Health Services Kashmir Dr Mushtaq Ahmad Rather said that there was confusion created due to the minutes of meeting with the Divisional Commissioner and that the non-COVID services have not been shut anywhere as the majority of hospital beds are lying vacant.
“Third-wave has started and the majority of the positive cases will remain in home isolation, as most of the cases are asymptomatic; keeping that in view, shutting down the non-COVID services is not an option,” he said.
The Director said that matter of keeping the hospitals open for the COVID as well as non-COVID services was taken up with the higher-ups keeping in view the ground situation at the hospitals in Kashmir.
He said that in tertiary care hospitals as well as the hospitals in the peripheries, the beds are available and keeping such a scenario in view, OPDs IPDs will remain functional as per the routine across hospitals in Kashmir falling under the administrative control of DHSK.
Dr Rather said that if the need arises when more than 50% of beds in the hospitals get occupied by the COVID patients, “at that time, we can decide on shutting the non-COVID services; however, as of now, there is no such need,” he said.
The Director said that the majority of COVID positive patients are asymptomatic or do not present any symptoms, “and such patients are being managed in-home isolation and there are not many COVID patients being admitted to the hospitals,” he said.
He said while the hospitals will remain open for both the COVID, non-COVID services across Kashmir while underling the need for adhering to SOPs even as he said that people visiting the hospitals will be allowed only after undergoing RAT.
Later, the DHSK also issued a circular in this regard and stated that in consultation with Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir, it has been decided that both COV1D & Non-COVID activities will continue to function normally, which includes routine OPDs & Elective Surgeries till further orders.
“It is impressed upon the Chief Medical Officers, Medical Superintendents and Block Medical Officers of Kashmir Division that COVID Protocol and Guidelines shall be strictly adhered to while the routine function of the hospitals is being undertaken,” the circular stated.
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