Isn't it a little too late to beef up health infrastructure in the villages? 
As Covid spreads to villages, govt says beef up health infra
TNN / May 17, 2021, 02:57 IST
NEW DELHI: With Covid-19 now spreading to villages, the Centre on Sunday issued new guidelines for containment of the virus in peri-urban and rural areas by enabling communities, strengthening primary level healthcare infrastructure at all levels to intensify Covid-19 response, while continuing to provide other essential health services.
The Centre also advised planning a minimum 30-bed Covid care centre in such areas for asymptomatic cases with co-morbidities or mild cases where home isolation is not feasible. Besides, provisions for RAT testing should be made at all public health facilities including sub-centres or health and wellness centres and primary health centres.
The health ministry said with the larger spread of Covid-19 cases, it is important to ensure that these areas are equipped and oriented to manage positive cases. “In every village, active surveillance should be done for influenza-like illness/ severe acute respiratory infections(ILI/SARI) periodically by health workers,” the standard operating procedure issued by the ministry said.
Noting that besides urban areas reporting a large number of cases, a gradual ingress is now being seen in villages and tribal areas as well, the ministry released the ‘SOP on Covid-19 Containment and Management in Peri-urban, Rural & Tribal areas’. Symptomatic cases can be triaged at village level by tele-consultation with the community health officer, and cases with co-morbidity or low oxygen saturation should be sent to higher centres.
“Nearly 80-85% of Covid -19 cases are asymptomatic/ mildly symptomatic. These patients do not require hospitalisation and may be managed at home or in Covid care isolation facilities,” the SOP stated. As monitoring of oxygen saturation is important for monitoring of Covid patients, it is desirable for each village to have adequate number of pulse oximeters and thermometers. The SOP recommended developing a system of providing pulse oximeters and thermometers on loan to families with a confirmed case of Covid.
As Covid spreads to villages, govt says beef up health infra
TNN / May 17, 2021, 02:57 IST
NEW DELHI: With Covid-19 now spreading to villages, the Centre on Sunday issued new guidelines for containment of the virus in peri-urban and rural areas by enabling communities, strengthening primary level healthcare infrastructure at all levels to intensify Covid-19 response, while continuing to provide other essential health services.
The Centre also advised planning a minimum 30-bed Covid care centre in such areas for asymptomatic cases with co-morbidities or mild cases where home isolation is not feasible. Besides, provisions for RAT testing should be made at all public health facilities including sub-centres or health and wellness centres and primary health centres.
The health ministry said with the larger spread of Covid-19 cases, it is important to ensure that these areas are equipped and oriented to manage positive cases. “In every village, active surveillance should be done for influenza-like illness/ severe acute respiratory infections(ILI/SARI) periodically by health workers,” the standard operating procedure issued by the ministry said.
Noting that besides urban areas reporting a large number of cases, a gradual ingress is now being seen in villages and tribal areas as well, the ministry released the ‘SOP on Covid-19 Containment and Management in Peri-urban, Rural & Tribal areas’. Symptomatic cases can be triaged at village level by tele-consultation with the community health officer, and cases with co-morbidity or low oxygen saturation should be sent to higher centres.
“Nearly 80-85% of Covid -19 cases are asymptomatic/ mildly symptomatic. These patients do not require hospitalisation and may be managed at home or in Covid care isolation facilities,” the SOP stated. As monitoring of oxygen saturation is important for monitoring of Covid patients, it is desirable for each village to have adequate number of pulse oximeters and thermometers. The SOP recommended developing a system of providing pulse oximeters and thermometers on loan to families with a confirmed case of Covid.
