Centre To Hold Series Of Webinars On Aspects Of Clinical Management Of COVID-19 Cases

In view of the rise in coronavirus infections and its Omicron variant, the Centre has decided to hold a series of webinars from January 5 to 19, 2022 on various aspects of clinical management of COVID-19 cases in collaboration with AIIMS, Delhi.

In a letter to states and Union Territories, Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan has requested that all state-level Centres of Excellence (CoEs) and doctors in public and private district-level COVID-19 health facilities along with CDMOs and in-charges of COVID-19 treatment facilities may be directed to attend these webinars.

"The growth trajectory of COVID-19 cases and Variant of Concern (VOC) Omicron, in some of the states and Union Territories in the country, is a matter of concern," Bhushan said.

"While public health action in terms of containment, surveillance, contact tracing, testing, adherence to Covid appropriate behaviour and vaccination is of prime importance, it is equally crucial that efforts are made by all stakeholders to minimize the mortality due to COVID-19 to a minimum possible level," he said in the letter on Sunday.

The Ministry of Health in collaboration with AIIMS, New Delhi, under the Centres of Excellence initiative had earlier held a series of webinars with state-level CoEs (which are medical college hospitals) on various aspects of clinical management of COVID-19 cases.

This series of webinars has been well received by doctors, particularly intensivists and critical care experts. The CoEs of states and Union Territories were urged to hold similar scries of webinars with their district-level counterparts, which was undertaken by many states, the letter highlighted.

"In continuation of those efforts, it is proposed to have another series of Centre of Excellence webinars for all state-level Centres of Excellence and district-level public and private Covid healthcare facilities in collaboration with AIIMS, Delhi," the letter said.

The letter mentions the schedule of webinars on different aspects of clinical management of COVID-19 cases to be held from January 5 to January 19.

These webinars are being planned in dual mode. As all state-level CoEs shall be the prime target for these webinars, these state-level CoEs shall be able to have bidirectional deliberations (audio and video chat mode) with the experts from AIIMS, Delhi, Bhushan said in his letter.

"Also, doctors managing COVID-19 cases in dedicated district-level public and private health facilities, CDMOs concerned and in-charges of COVID-19 treatment facilities from districts in your state can join through another link (separate link) wherein the participating doctors will be able to interact with experts through chat mode only," the letter stated.

"Therefore, it is requested that all state-level CoEs and doctors in public and private district-level COVID-19 health facilities along with CDMOs and in-charges of COVID-19 treatment facilities may be directed to attend these webinars. The link for joining the webinar is being shared separately.

"I am sure under your leadership, the health departments will make the best use of this opportunity to further refine Covid treatment strategies and will, in turn, undertake similar activities in greater depths to train and re-train clinicians/nurses at district and sub-district level hospital facilities to optimize treatment outcomes," he stated.