Chandigarh, April 9 - Haryana Chief Minister, Mr. Manohar Lal announced to double the salary of doctors, nurses, paramedical and all other staff working in COVID hospitals, COVID ICU and COVID isolation wards, ambulance drivers bringing Corona Positive patients etc.

The Chief Minister made this announcement while presiding over the meeting held with the Chief Medical Officers of the State, District Ayurvedic Officers, Officers of Medical Education and Research Department and Directors of the Medical Colleges of the State, District Presidents of the Indian Medical Association through video conferencing here today. Health Minister, Mr. Anil Vij was also present in the meeting from Chandigarh and Director, Medanta Hospital, Gurugram, Dr. Naresh Trehan also attended the meeting from Delhi.

The Chief Minister said that all the arrangements of providing PPE kits, medicines and ventilators are satisfactory in all the government hospitals and medical colleges in the State and all the necessary arrangements for the treatment of corona patients such as masks, PPE kits, medicines, ventilators etc. will be made by the State Government, for medical colleges whether they are under Central or State Government, Private or Government aided, he added.

The Chief Minister was appraised that presently 22,800 PPE kits, 1,02,857 N-95 masks, and 28,02,406 gloves are available in the above institutions. Apart from this, the supply of 502952 PPE kits and 103200 N-95 masks will be received within the next three-four days.

During the meeting, the Chief Minister also directed to ensure that there is no intermingling of COVID and non-COVID patients in the hospitals and in out-patient, in-patient departments. Therefore, civil surgeons and directors of Medical Colleges must personally take a round of the hospitals and to protect the staff from acquiring corona virus infection in the hospitals.

The Chief Minister held a detailed discussion with the doctors and directed them to closely review the overall situation in their respective hospitals amid the COVID-19 crisis. He directed that safety equipment to everyone involved in the treatment and dealing with COVID patients should be provided on a priority basis.

Praising the doctors, nurses, paramedical staff and others for dedicatedly working 24x7, the Chief Minister said that the State Government is ensuring the safety and security of everyone working vigorously to battle COVID-19 pandemic. While after watching the concerted efforts of doctors, nurses and other paramedical staff, it is certain that we will certainly defeat this pandemic, he added.

Responding to the concern of the doctors regarding separating the COVID blocks, so that the hospitals do not become possible hotspots, the Chief Minister directed that exclusive COVID hospital and COVID blocks should be separated from hospital premises to stop the cross-infection. He directed that Infection control in hospitals should be done in an effective manner to ensure that they are not converted into a possible hotspot.

During the meeting, the Health Minister, Mr. Anil Vij informed that rapid response teams have been constituted and the State has already been divided into zones. He appreciated the efforts of the employees of Health, Police, Medical Education, and Urban Local Bodies Department and hoped that Haryana would be rid of Corona soon.

The president of IMA shared that majority of the private hospitals are open for regular patients. He said that instead of routine OPDs, the facility of telemedicine and mobile OPDs are already available with the private doctors. He said that this should be publicized widely through media.

The Vice-Chancellor of the Ayush University shared that a protocol has been prepared for the most affected areas and the same has been approved by GOI. He shared that some Ayurvedic medicines would be given to patients who do not have any symptoms or have mild symptoms.

Chief Secretary, Mrs. Keshni Anand Arora, Principal Secretary to Chief Minister, Mr. Rajesh Khullar, Additional Chief Secretary Health and Family Welfare Department Mr. Rajeev Arora, Additional Chief Secretary, Medical Education, and Research Department, Mr. Alok Nigam and other senior officers were present in the meeting.