GMCH ensures hygiene, proper food for coronavirus suspects

While frontline health workers are busy lodging suspected coronavirus patients at Goa Medical College and Hospital''s isolation ward, a huge support team has been working to keep ward clean and hygienic and serving food to patients in disposable containers.

state-run Goa Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) near here in rth Goa district has an isolation ward where suspected coronavirus patients are kept, while those testing positive are lodged at a special hospital in Margao town of South Goa district.

GMCH has hired services of a private company to maintain cleanliness and hygiene in its premises.

Extra precaution is taken in isolation ward as far as cleanliness is concerned. ward is cleaned every one hour by following a special cleanliness protocol, said Sneha Tulaskar, manr of private company.

" cleaning of isolation ward is done through three bucket system - first by hot water, n by liquid soap and n using sodium hypochlorite. entire floor, glasses, windows and doors are cleaned meticulously," she said.

linen used in isolation ward is washed separately at 90 degree Celsius in a machine, Tulaskar said.

Cleanliness workers are provided personal protective equipment (PPE) to prevent m from catching infection, and company has been giving Vitamin-C tablets to its staff deployed at GMCH isolation ward, she said.

While nearly 240 employees of company are engd in maintaining cleanliness of entire hospital complex, a special squ is deployed at isolation ward.

Tulaskar said company initially faced difficulties in convincing its staff to work at GMCH isolation ward.

"But, we gave m detailed information about COVID-19 and also precautions to be taken. w y are comfortable working re," she ded.

Ar private company has been running hospital''s canteen and providing food to patients are per medical staff''s instructions, a senior GMCH official said.

"y are serving food to patients in isolation ward in disposable containers and trolley used to carry food is exclusive to that ward, he said.