SILCHAR, Aug 6 - At a time when COVID-19 cases are escalating across Cachar district, the district administration and the health department have decided to accelerate the Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) facility to bring more people in the fold so that the number of patients could be identified and treated at the right time.
An NHM official informed that along with 10 static COVID screening centres, another centre would be opened at the Teachers Training College at Link Road point here to help people come voluntarily for tests.
�The 11th COVID screening centre at TT College will be open from 11 am to 3 pm from August 6 and we request people to step up voluntarily for the tests. We are also providing light refreshments for those coming to have their tests done. Also, we expect cooperation from people when our health workers visit for contact tracing,� the officials said.
Out of 2,071 COVID-19 cases in the district so far, 690 cases were active till Wednesday, while 1,376 patients have been discharged post their recovery, the official informed.
Meanwhile, Deputy Superintendent cum official spokesperson on COVID-19 from Silchar Medical College and Hospital (SMCH) Dr Prasenjit Ghosh said that there were three deaths recorded in the hospital since Wednesday, and the demise of 56-year-old Kanu Paul with severe COVID-19 infection was certified by the State-level Death Audit Board as a COVID casualty. The patient was from Dholai and was brought to the hospital on July 28 following which he was kept on ventilation.
Congress echoes public grievances at SMCH: Expressing serious concern over the health infrastructure and treatment at the Silchar Medical College and Hospital (SMCH) amidst the escalation of COVID-19 cases, the Silchar District Congress Committee has echoed certain grievances which have emerged in the public domain.
In a letter to Cachar Deputy Commissioner Keerthi Jalli, former minister Ajit Singh and former Silchar MP Sushmita Dev said, �the spread of COVID-19 is becoming a matter of concern for us. We appreciate the fact that this is a health emergency issue and believe that every officer and health worker is under severe pressure and doing their best to deliver at their best under the circumstances. However, some grievances in the public domain needs to brought to your notice for action.�
Dev added, �treatment of patients suffering from ailments other than COVID-19 is becoming a real problem. The cases of Sayan Das of Silchar and Mashuk Laskar of Borkhola (both expired) have brought in allegations from their families of lack of treatment, pending their COVID-19 tests results�.
Also, complaints regarding untimely supply of food to patients along with matters related to issuing and dealing with orders regarding containment zones need to be looked at with priority, Dev said.
Referring to the opening of an ICMR-approved private laboratory at Guwahati by Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma for testing of swab samples, the Congress leaders said that the Cachar administration must take up the matter with the Minister so that private nursing homes here can also start testing which would help ease the burden on the laboratory personnel at the SMCH.
Moreover, they urged the Deputy Commissioner to make arrangements so that private nursing homes treat patients who turn out to be COVID-19 negative.
