PUNJAB CM RELEASES COVID CLINICAL MANAGEMENT TOOL FOR HEALTHCARE WORKERS

SAYS THIS EASY-TO-UNDERSTAND TOOL WILL ACT AS FORCE MULTIPLIER FOR `MISSION FATEH’

News Punjab

Chandigarh, July 2: Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Thursday released an easy-to-understand Punjab COVID-19 Clinical Management Manual as a single reference point for all healthcare providers, with the overall aim of reducing the mortality rate through a cohesive and coordinated approach dealing with all facets of the pandemic.

Describing the Manual as a force multiplier for his government’s `Mission Fateh’, the Chief Minister said it will serve as a bridge between the national protocol and the State’s requirements on COVID management. It will give healthcare providers dealing with the care and management of Coronavirus positive patients easy access to the tools needed for better handling of the pandemic, he added.

Curated by an Expert Committee headed by Dr. K K Talwar, former Director of PGI, the Manual incorporates easy to understand audio visual aids, colour coded assessment tools and referral criteria based on practical experiences, along with best practices in the clinical management of COVID positive patients.  The Committee, convened by well-known cardiologist from DMC Ludhiana, Dr. Bishav Mohan, also comprises several other renowned medical practitioners from eminent Institutes around the globe.

The Manual caters to the treatment needs of all COVID cases – from mild and moderate to severe. For mild cases, it incorporates a self-assessment questionnaire and home-based tests to assess the progress of asymptomatic patients in home isolation.

It carries an updated list of dedicated experts available in every district to assist the district medical team in dealing with cases which require expert care, to keep fatality as low as possible.

Further, the Manual addresses the mental health and well-being issues of COVID-19 patients, and has incorporated a collaborative platform of psychiatrists, psychologists, and social workers as part of the management protocol.