Maharashtra govt forms two coordination panels on COVID-19
The decision to constitute the coordination panels wastaken on Thursday after a meeting between representatives ofthe Indian Medical Association (IMA) and Maharashtra Chiefsecretary Ajoy Mehta, according to the government.
A Government Resolution (GR) issued on May 14 said thecommittees will ensure all government decisions regardingsteps being taken to control the pandemic and medicalprotocols are made available to all concerned.
The panels will see that PPE kits, gloves and masksare made available to medical workers in private hospitals.
The committees will also work out steps to be taken toensure medical workers have social security and are treatedwith respect and dignity, the GR said.
The state-level committee will be headed by the chiefsecretary and comprise principal secretary (public health),principal secretary (urban development),secretary (medicaleducation), Mumbai municipal commissioner and director of theDirectorate of Medical Education.
Director of health services will be member-secretary,while president of the IMA (Maharashtra) and a representativeof the association will be an invitee on the panel.
The district-level committee will have collector aschairman and members will include CEO of the zilla parishad,police commissioner,municipal commissioners and districtpolice superintendent.
District civil surgeon will be member-secretary, whiledistrict president of the IMA (Maharashtra) and arepresentative of the medical body will be an invitee.
Coordination between government and medical fraternitywill be worked out for state and district level implementationof all coronavirus-related guidelines issued by the WHO andUnion Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the GR said.
Till May 14, Maharashtra had recorded 27,524 cases ofCOVID-19.
Meanwhile, a release issued by the IMA (Maharashtra)said a delegation led by its state unit president AvinashBhondwe met Mehta and other senior officials on Thursday todiscuss issues related to the coronavirus pandemic.
Apart from setting up of the two committees for smoothfunctioning of the COVID 19 control campaign, the IMAsuggested that there should be a uniform policy about fees andother charges for COVID and non-COVID patients treated byprivate hospitals all over the state.
The IMA suggested that all acquired private hospitalsshould be included under the state's Mahatma Jyotiba Phule JanArogya Yojana, the release said.
The IMA said there should not be any medico-legal caseagainst any doctor on ground that the treating doctor orhospital is cause of COVID-19 infection to a patient.
The renewal date of registration of hospitals underthe Bombay Nursing Home Act should be postponed in view of theCOVID-19 pandemic, the release said. MRRSY RSY