Assam: At the time of the national crisis in the wake of the Covid-19 outbreak, the Border Security Force Frontier HQ Guwahati is not only engaged in manning the Indo-Bangladesh Border but also established COVID Care Center /DCHC at Composite Hospital Patgaon Guwahati for treatment of force personnel and dependents.
With the spread of COVID -19 and declaration as to the pandemic of this dreaded infectious viral disease, Force headquarter, Border Security Force (BSF) felt that our medical team can be useful for treating at least our troops and dependents and by this way it will reduce the burden of Govt. Accordingly, FHQ Medical Directorate BSF directed all Composite Hospital (CH) of BSF to be equipped to face this fearful disease.
CH BSF Patgaon was assigned to establish 30 bedded COVID Care Center/Dedicated COVID Health Center (CCC/DCHC). Since State authorities of Assam are themselves managing, hence necessary permission to establish 30 bedded CCC/DCHC at BSF Campus, Guwahati was accorded after visiting the place and facilities by the state experts on 16 July 2020.
Since CH BSF Patgaon is functioning in makeshift arrangements (New Buildings is under construction) all required arrangements for treating 30 patients at a time including temporary infrastructure, required equipment, arrangement for PPE, doffing and donning, gas oxygen pipeline, training for collecting a sample for RT-PCR and rapid Antigen test were made available in drill shed of Guwahati Frontier from 16 July 2020 onwards with full support and guidance of FTR HQ BSF Guwahati.
Within a short span of time, all 30 beds were occupied by Covid-19 Positive patients and they are treated and managed by nursing, paramedical and team of doctors of CH BSF Patgaon with optimal utilization of available meager resources. The first batch of Six personnel including one officer recovered and were discharged on 30th July 2020. The second batch of 14 personnel was discharged on 3rd Aug 2020. Further 3rd batch of 06 personnel was discharged on 05th Aug 2020 and lastly, 01 people discharged on 10th Aug 2020.
Dedicated medical and Paramedical staff of CH, their sincere effort, genuine involvement, make availability of necessary equipment and medication, training of staff, and other necessary required arrangement within a very small period is appreciated by state health authorities and higher officers of BSF and benefitted the troops.
It is worthwhile to mention that Guwahati Frontier BSF is following the norms laid by WHO, as well as the Govt of India to Counter the Covid-19. Seema Praharies of Guwahati Frontier Border Security Force apart from managing Indo- Bangladesh International border, also assist border population in an emergency like pandemics, disaster response as well as providing medical assistance.
