First Wave

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• As the pandemic started to emerge in India, and more specifically in the Uttarakhand area, THFH’s immediate goal was to take care of the medical needs of our patients and at the same time ensure the protection of the patient base, our staff, and the community at large from Covid-19

• THFH started to adjust its activities and standard operating procedures (SOPs) accordingly to ensure proper mitigation.  This included strict enforcement of consistent and mandatory mask wearing by all staff and patients, strict enforcement of social distancing throughout the patients’ visit, temperature checks before entering the hospital and strict hand sanitizer use, and daily sanitization/disinfection of surfaces throughout the hospital blocks.  Additionally, an isolation ward was set up at THFGH, and essential quantities of medicines, disposables, PPE kits, masks, and groceries were acquired.  We started training our staff on enhanced SOPs to deal with a likely crisis and ensured that all disaster management apparatus was geared up.  In other words, WE PREPARED!

• At THFEC we scaled down our functioning to emergencies only at least until the first-wave had somewhat subsided

• Although only certain government hospitals were allowed to take in Covid patients during the first wave, THFGH was identified by district medical authorities for quarantining purposes, if necessary

• All of the above helped THFH successfully navigate the first wave with minimal impact on our staff and patients. Due to our persistent vigilance and thorough infection risk management, THFH was able to navigate the first wave with very few cases of Covid-19 among its staff and patient base.

 

Second Wave

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• The lessons learned and experience from the first wave has allowed THFH to get through the monstrous second wave quite satisfactorily thus far

• Prior to and during the second wave, THFH continued to maintain the same level of vigilance and preparedness mentioned above

• During the second wave, THFGH has been directed by district medical authorities to admit mild and moderate Covid cases.  To accommodate this, THFGH has set up a separate 50 bed Covid ward by converting the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU), as well as, the semi-private and private wards into Covid isolation wards

• In addition, THFGH has ready plans to add another 10 beds by expanding another area of the hospital into a crisis expansion ward

• And throughout the second wave so far, we continued the general medical care facilities such as OPDs, Emergency Ward, General Wards, ICU, Labour Room, Surgeries, etc.

• And again at THFEC, day-to-day functioning has been scaled down slightly by scaling down the OPDs and limiting surgeries to emergencies only, while putting more emphasis on our virtual consultation program so that we continue to take care of our patients while ensuring the safety of those patients and our staff

• Furthermore, to fight the crisis THFH has even loaned necessary equipment such as O2 concentrators, ventilators, pulse-oxymeters etc. to other hospitals in the more populated areas of Uttarkahand

• THFGH has also nearly doubled its O2 capacity to fight the second wave and in anticipation of a potential third wave, should that need arise