Punjab CM releases COVID-19 manual for healthcare workers

Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Thursday released a COVID-19 manual for all healthcare providers.

The Punjab COVID-19 clinical management manual has an 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.

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, Singh said in an official release.

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, he added.

( With inputs from ANI )