To assess the situation on the ground and see the quality of care being provided to patients in home isolation, Dr Amandeep Kang, Chandigarh Director Health Services (DHS), along with senior health officials paid a surprise visit to a few patients in home isolation in rural and urban locations on Sunday. The DHS did an in-depth study regarding home isolation monitoring with doctor incharge of east zone CH 45 and their rapid response team and pointed out shortcomings that need to be addressed by the health workers. Patients in home isolation had been alleging that they have not been getting any monitoring at home. On Sunday morning, Kang asked for a list of home-isolation patients from her staff and then said that a visit to rural belts and the cluster areas should be made at that moment to see if patients are being monitored. The DHS visited Khuda Ali Sher, Sector 45, and other areas. Dr Amandeep Kang told The Indian Express, "I went on a surprise visit with the team to see the on-the-ground requirements and we found that those in rural and cluster areas do not have pulse oximeters as they can't afford them. The ones in urban areas have oximeters but not this section. And that's one of the key things to check in case of this infection." She added, "Also, our multipurpose workers have been asked to make the family members of the weaker sections aware of the protocols to be maintained when a family member is positive." The health workers in the field have been specially asked to take a detailed history of the patients on their first visit and record BP, SPO2 levels. They were asked to make regular follow-ups. She told them that the healthcare workers should also inform the patients of the signs that would require them to call for help and, if need be, shifting to the hospital for assessment. "Another thing that I noticed was that many patients fear to get hospitalised. So the healthcare workers have been asked to build confidence in the patients and explain to them that when they are shifted to hospital for assessment, they will be monitored, investigated and shifted back home when their condition improves," the DHS said. The healthcare workers were asked to increase their visits to such patients to keep records of oxygen levels of these patients. The UT Administration in a statement has stated that "the Health Department has been actively involved in the tracing, diagnosis and treatment of covid positive patients in order to prevent the spread of the disease". It also said that the teams for the same have been divided into five zones for effective and timely management of the positive patients. DHS seeks patients' feedback Chandigarh: While interacting in a surprise check with home-isolated patients through the help desk set up by the administration, Dr Amandeep Kang, Chandigarh Director Health Services (DHS), sought the patients' feedback regarding the visit of healthcare workers to their homes and the interaction with them. To have a first-hand account of the working of the medical staff, the DHS on Sunday made a surprise visit to the help desk along with the MS and DMS of GMSH, Sector 16. She interacted with the COVID patients in home Isolation. After the interaction with the patients, the DHS impressed upon the doctors to be compassionate and more vigilant, especially with the elderly and patients with co-morbid conditions. She directed the staff to be prompt in shifting patients to hospitals from home whenever the need is felt so that they are attended to in time and also to decrease the mortality. The Chandigarh Administration started the help desk to monitor Covid positive patients who have opted for home isolation and also to address the queries of the general public. This help desk has been set up at CHB and claims to be working 24X7. The staff and doctors here call all the patients in home isolation and advise them regarding the safety measures and the medicines to be taken. The patients are also explained the signs and symptoms that need immediate attention. ENS
