Challenges in Establishing a COVID Care Centre in Northern India

Abstract

Puri S*

The pandemic of COVID has hard-pressed the health infrastructure of all developed as well developing countries of the world alike. The only preventive instrument established so far to contain the virus is isolation of the diseased. Hence, establishing alternate set ups of containment area are of paramount importance in the current scenario. These makeshift centers could be utilized to admit asymptomatic or mild symptomatic to decrease the burden of already established tertiary care institutes. This would give the dual advantage of addressing the financial constraints of the Government as well as catering to all categories of COVID Patients. In light of all these benefits a COVID care centre was established in Chandigarh, a hub for medical facilities in Northern India. The idea was to convert a non-operable sarai/dharamshala into a COVID-19 management cum quarantine center. However, the setting up of such a quarantine centre was rife with challenges ranging from resistance from the locals to issues of staff and inters hospital coordination. The enunciation of COVID care centers helped in decreasing the burden of COVID patients from tertiary care hospitals and thus helps in managing the crisis. This centre became a model for making similar new future centers.