In the event of District Hospitals being converted to dedicated COVID-19 Hospital, the Principal Director, H&FW, Dr. Vizolie Suokhrie has advised the District Health Authority to undertake the measures to ensure continuity of specialist services for general patients for critical cases like dialysis and chemotherapy sessions in day care, emergency obstetrics services, emergency medical care and surgical procedures, provided that necessary measures are put in place to prevent intermingling of patients including putting such services in a separate block with separate entry and exit points.

If such segregation measure is not feasible, then in addition to the identified private hospitals, nearest public health facilities such as UPHCs and other public may be identified to deliver specialists services eg: Obs & Gynae, ENT, Eye, Dental, Oncology etc.

Private hospitals may not have specialists services in certain disciplines such as oncology etc. In such situation, the specialist of the concerned DH should extend Visiting Consultancy services,

Such services are to be continued till positive COVID-19 cases are admitted or the concerned specialist is put on COVID-19 Hospital duty. There should be an emergency exit plan to move patients out of the hospital in case of admission of COVID-19 positive case.

(DIPR)