Govt sets up spl committee to manage pediatric Covid cases

SHILLONG, June 10: Given the perceived third wave, the state government has constituted a committee of pediatricians and gynecologists to formulate plans and policies for effective management of pediatric Covid-19.
“It is a very methodological committee and it is meeting on a regular basis,” Principal Secretary of Health, Sampath Kumar said.
The committee will be headed by Dr. Hunsi Giri, Retd. Addl. DHS(MCH) with Dr. Duiatra Pde of Ganesh Das Hospital as member secretary.
Other members of the committee include Dr. Paul Prabhakar Francis (former WHO Officer, Jengjal Mission), Dr. Himesh Barman (Associate Professor, NEIGRIHMS), Dr. Rosina Ksoo (Assistant Professor, NEIGRIHMS), Dr. Shantanu Deb (Nazareth Hospital), Dr. Debashish Das (Children’s Hospital), Dr. Sangeeta Sangma (DMCH Hospital, Tura), Dr. Janieca Swett (Ganesh Das Hospital), Dr. Indrani Roy (Nazareth Hospital), Dr. Esther Blah (Dr. H. Gordon Roberts Hospital), Dr. Kamwamangika Rapthap (Dr. H. Gordon Roberts Hospital), Dr. N. Baishya, (Bethany Hospital) and Dr. Michael Momin (Holy Cross Hospital, Tura).
The committee will provide advice and guidance to the government and medical practitioners on pediatric/gynaecological treatment for Covid-19 infection in children and pregnant mothers. It will also train Medical Officers and staff at district hospitals, PHCs and CHCs to handle pediatric cases and pediatric ICUs.
It will examine and assess various lines of treatment used and recommended by the other affected states and countries and go through various journals and publications regarding pediatric and gynaecological clinical management of Covid-19 patients and recommend key insights to the state government.
Considering the special need of the children, the committee will also set up Pediatric Corona Care Centers in all the districts with the inclusion of separate wards for post partum recovery of Covid positive mothers and their babies.
“Generally, children have better immunity but since the variant is very virulent, we cannot take any chances. We are closely observing whatever cases of children are coming to us,” Kumar said earlier.
He said the Health department is trying to set up a separate Pediatrics Intensive Care Unit and planning to procure IVIG or intravenous immunoglobulin, considered very important to boost multi-system immunity of children.