Jammu: The Jammu and Kashmir administration on Friday quashed an earlier order, considered discriminatory, and allowed home quarantine for asymptomatic Covid 19 cases in Jammu province like it is being done in the Kashmir Valley.
“Govt’s major decision–All asymptomatic Covid positive cases in Jammu province to be in home isolation with conditions as in Kashmir–free oximeter, compulsory, Arogya Setu & proper isolation space with a poster outside the house. Those presently in hospital to wait till they test negative”, the department of information and public information posted a tweet on Friday.
However, in a striking contrast to government’s claims of augmenting health infrastructure to effectively tackle Covid 19 pandemic in Jammu and Kashmir, the government medical college and hospital (GMCH) in Jammu is bursting at the seams during these testing times.
GMCH Jammu is a major referral hospital where patients from all the 10 districts of the region are referred and treated.
“Government medical colleges and hospitals in nine other districts of Jammu province are referring even asymptomatic Covid cases to us. At least such cases can be retained and treated in their respective district hospitals”, said a senior doctor of the GMCH Jammu explaining the reason behind overcrowding at the hospital.
Citing the pressure on GMCH, senior doctors have been questioning the logic for the two yardsticks for asymptomatic cases in Kashmir and Jammu regions.
“In Kashmir, the administration is allowing home quarantine of asymptomatic cases contrary to the situation in the Jammu region. As a result there’s 100 percent bed occupancy in GMCH Jammu,” he said.
From 28 Covid cases on March 28, the tally in Jammu and Kashmir has now gone up to 35,135, out of which 26,721 have been cured while 671 have died.
Another doctor said that nearly six months on since the first Covid 19 case was detected in Jammu on March 8, the GMCH Jammu was bursting at the seams. He also questioned the logic of hospitalizing asymptomatic health staff, who could have looked after themselves and saved some hospital beds.
“Since the anomaly has been removed by the government allowing home quarantine in Jammu province, things will improve for us and people as well,” he noted in relief after the administration allowed home isolation. (HT)
