THD NewsDesk, New Delhi: New Delhi recorded a total of 707 new cases of COVID-19 on August 12th, crossing the recovery rate of 90%, the state has set an example for others in its strategies on COVID-19 management and control.
On August 4th, South Korean Ambassador H.E. Shin Bong- Kil praised the Delhi Model of curbing the pandemic. He tweeted, “Actually, the Korean model is 3T- Test, Trace, and Treat. Delhi model is Test and Home Quarantine, and it is a very effective and wise measure which has been made in India’s and particularly Delhi’s situation. I am very happy and I would like to congratulate the Delhi government that they accomplished this achievement.”
In reply, New Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal thanked Ambassador Shin for his words of praise and appreciation. Kejriwal’s 5T model includes Testing, Tracing, Treatment, Teamwork, and Tracking, along with constant monitoring.
It is to be noted that New Delhi witnessed the highest single-day spike on June 23rd with 3947 new cases.
However, the Delhi government was able to put a check on subsequent COVID-19 spread by adapting the following measures to the core:
- Tracking the number of available beds, rules to be followed during the lockdown, regularly updated list of containment zones, daily numbers of new cases, deaths, and recoveries through the Delhi Corona app.
- Helplines were set up for all hospitals to keep the flow of information transparent and accessible, 24×7.
- Provision of oximeters to patients being treated in-home quarantine.
- The number of operative ventilators was increased from 348 to 1234 during the pandemic.
- To make the financial distress of the infected a bit lighter, the Kejriwal government put a cap on the charges of COVID-19 treatment in private hospitals. Isolation beds ranged between 8,000 rupees to 10,000 rupees per day; ICU bed sans ventilator cost between 13,000 rupees to 18,000 rupees per day and an ICU bed with ventilator ranged between 15,000 rupees to 18,000 rupees per day. The lower limit is for non- NABH (National Accreditation Board for Hospitals) and Healthcare Providers and the upper limit is for NABH accredited hospitals including the entry-level ones, as per the government’s orders.
- The testing price for COVID was fixed at 2400 rupees.
- Sufficient oxygen supply was made available to hospital beds.
- LED boards were set up in each hospital to display the availability of beds.
AVAILABILITY OF BEDS
Following the 5T model, Delhi hospitals were the first to start plasma therapy for treating COVID-19 patients. Kejriwal inaugurated Delhi’s first plasma bank on July 4th, the second plasma bank was established on July 14th at Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan Hospital. More than 700 patients have been treated with plasma therapy by August 12th.
The Delhi government ensured that enough beds were available for new incoming patients. All hospitals were ordered to keep almost 40% of their beds for COVID-19 patients—following which the availability of private hospital beds increased by 5,000.
Furthermore, hotels were instructed to collaborate with hospitals in the provision of beds, which increased the numbers to 7000. Two thousand more beds were made available in the Radha Soami Spiritual Center located in South Delhi.
On August 9th, a COVID-19 facility was constructed in Ambedkar Nagar containing 200 beds.
QUICK COUNSELLING
It was overseen that the newly diagnosed COVID-19 patients received proper counseling. To this effect, district surveillance teams were formed, which consisted of doctors approaching each patient, assisting them in assigning them either for home quarantine, quarantine center or hospitals depending on the severity of their condition.
As the number of new cases began increasing, the government took assistance from local NGOs and doctors volunteering for live assistance as soon as a new patient would be diagnosed.
These measures not only put a quick cap on new COVID-19 cases, but they also helped cut the mortality rates down to 2%, by making ICUs available for critical cases and treating those with mild symptoms at their homes.
The implementation of the Kejriwal government’s 5T Model made a significant impact on the management of pandemic in the capital city and set a massive precedent for other states to follow. The sooner similar measures start being employed across India; the sooner will it help curb the pandemic.
