On Wednesday we posted about the measures being put in place at the Sambhavna and Chingari clinics to battle the spread of coronavirus in Bhopal. Today we have an update from Sambhavna who have thoroughly documented the new measures they have implemented to protect staff and patients at the clinic, as well as members of the local gas-affected communities. Here is a complete list of the current steps being taken at Sambhavna in pictures:
1. All staff and volunteers have been issued with masks which they wear at all times while on the premises.
2. New handwashing stations have been setup outside the clinic in addition to the existing stations so that visitors can wash their hands before entering the building.
3. Seating in waiting areas inside the clinic has been arranged such that patients are at least 1 metre apart at all times.
4. New posters have been put up around the clinic to educate patients about the dangers of coronavirus and explain safe handwashing practices.
5. Audio documentation of the dangers of the virus has been recorded and is played to patients in waiting areas.
6. Plastic sheeting is being used on all beds in observation rooms and is thoroughly cleaned after contact by a patient.
7. Doors of doctors and physicians rooms are being kept open for added ventilation.
8. All medical equipment is being thoroughly cleaned and disinfected after contact with staff or patients.
9. A separate quarantine waiting area has been setup outside the clinic for patients displaying signs of infection – persistent cough, fever, or flu-like symptoms.
10. Steps are being taken to safeguard the local gas-affected communities surrounding the clinic and factory site. Staff at the centre have erected new handwashing stations for use by the public and pamphlets with a public health warning are being printed for distribution to the public to help safeguard against the spread of the infection.
We wish to thank all the staff and volunteers at the clinic for their tireless work during this difficult time to safeguard both patients and the wider community against the dangers of Covid-19. In the face of this new crisis they continue to work for the good of all our patients and the wider community despite new and difficult challenges and in the face of personal risk.
