COVID-19
The pandemic arrived in Northeast India much later than the rest of the country. The hospital was well prepared to handle it.
The steps taken include:
- Several sensitization sessions to the staff.
- Awareness sessions to the patients and caregivers.
- Setting up of a triage booth.
- Ensuring strict adherence to the safety guidelines.
- Reduced staff coming in to work by rotation in the initial months.
- A WhatsApp group for all the staff to keep steadily in touch.
- Making of sanitizers, face shields, masks, caps, scrubs and gowns in house.
- Seeking support from the community for cloth and tailoring machines.
- Online discussions to educate the public on the safety guidelines.
- Creation of a large waiting area for out patients to allow for social distancing.
- Reduction in the number of caregivers accompanying patients.
- Establishment of a COVID ward to take care of cancer patients and staff affected by COVID.
- Increase in inter-bed distance in every ward.
- Encouragement of hand hygiene practice.
- Establishment of a COVID testing and treatment facility.
The present guidelines for patients and caregivers visiting the hospital are:
- Wearing masks all the time.
- Washing hands regularly.
- Checking at the triage booth for any signs or indications of COVID.
- Only one caregiver to accompany the patient.
- Adherence to social distancing while waiting in the Out-Patient Department
- No wandering in areas of the hospital other than where they actually need to go.