By Matters India Reporter

New Delhi: Caritas India has begun setting up Covid treatment centers in 14 states with high prevalence as part of its continued efforts to save people from the deadly disease.

The social arm of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India took the initiative as the country records a new high in upsurge of cases and deaths.

The second wave of Covid-19 has wreaked the healthcare system and related infrastructure in the country. Experts say the peak is yet to be reached.

The Caritas plan is to set up First Level Treatment Centers for patients with mild symptoms who require a place for quarantine. The Second Level Treatment Centres in hospitals address the rising cases of patients with provisions for medicines, beds and equipment for health care.

As of now, 61 centers are allocated for Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Delhi, Goa, Gujarat, Haryana, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal.

A patient in a Caritas center
The centers will be equipped to provide primary treatment and care to the Covid-19 people. Every dedicated Covid Care Centre will have a dedicated staff and medicines to provide care support.

Father Paul Moonjely, executive director of Caritas India, says the first level centers aim to reach out to the larger population and at the same time reduce the surmounting pressure on health institutions.

“The goal behind introducing these (first level centers) was to provide a safe space for isolation to the asymptomatic patients or patients with mild symptoms who seek medical assistance,” he added.

The priest also said one first level center would be equipped with two doctors, two nurses, 10 caregivers, five volunteers along with basic medicines, medical equipment, and food-nutrition facilities to support 20 Covid positive in-patients at any given time for one month.

In the coming day, more centers will be established at different places to support the needy patients.

Apart from the centers, Caritas India through its local partners plans to reach out to the rural population by providing medical kits comprising 1 pulse oximeter, 1 steam inhaler and 5 N-95 Masks. This meant mainly for the marginalized and below poverty line households in remote rural as a safeguard and precautionary intervention.

Caritas Samaritans, the organization’s volunteer force, would be engaged along with Caritas India to support the two level centers and Information Sharing Centres in different parts of the country, says a May 17 press note.