The Delhi government has set up a Covid-19 Rapid Response Centre at the city’s Rajiv Gandhi Super Specialty Hospital as part of its preparations for a likely third wave.
The centre, inaugurated by Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain, will be staffed 24×7. Equipped with ICU beds and ventilators, the centre will provide emergency treatment to Covid-19 patients without the wait for hospital admission, Jain said.
He added that the Delhi government would set up more such centres at different hospitals for more efficient emergency response. Delhi is attempting to revamp infrastructure at government hospitals in anticipation of a third Covid-19 wave.
Jain said the rapid response centre would provide immediate treatment upon arrival without patients having to wait for hospital admission. Patients may be shifted to the ward concerned later, based on their condition.
The minister also urged citizens to maintain caution at all times and ensure Covid-appropriate behaviour, The Indian Express reported.
Jain said people should not drop their guard despite a decline in the city’s active caseload. He added that people should learn from past experience that negligence can be disastrous.
As on 8 am on Thursday, Delhi’s active Covid-19 caseload stands at 389. The National Capital reported 65 new cases and one death in the past 24 hours.
Delhi was among the major cities/states that bore the brunt of the severe second Covid-19 wave earlier this year. An acute shortage of beds and supply of medical oxygen caused inordinate delays in admission, leading many patients to wait outside hospitals. Many family members were forced to shuttle patients from hospital to hospital in their frantic search for beds and treatment.
The severity of the situation forced the Delhi government to impose strict restrictions of people’s movement and shut markets, shopping complexes and all non-essential services, before finally managing to bring the situation under control.
