It has not yet been a year since IAS officer S Suhas took charge as the District Collector of Ernakulam. It was in last June, during the second outbreak of the Nipah virus, that Suhas took charge as the Ernakulam district chief. From then till now, as the district combats the COVID-19 pandemic together with the rest of the state, it has been an arduous journey for the district chief and the whole administrative body.
From the 2019 floods that badly affected the low-lying rural regions of Ernakulam to flash floods that brought Kochi city to a standstill multiple times, and finally to the demolition of five high rise apartment buildings in Maradu – a first in the country – Suhas has been tackling continuous challenges since day one. But he says all these pale in comparison to the latest fight against the dreaded COVID-19.
In an interview with TNM, the Collector talks about the major steps taken by the district administration in flattening the COVID-19 curve, which the district has so far done successfully.
“Our main strategy was to slow the spread of COVID-19 and prepare our medical system by avoiding overload of patients in the existing hospitals. We had to draw a plan for this, and formulation of such a plan was very challenging. And so far, we have been successful in containing the pandemic spread to a minimum. Out of the 24 COVID-19 patients in the district, only seven are still under treatment (as of April 13),” says Suhas.
The district has recorded one COVID-19 death, that of a 69-year-old Kochi native who returned from Dubai. The man also had heart disease.
COVID-19 treatment plan
Though challenging, the district administration successfully formed a comprehensive plan to combat the disease. From decentralising the COVID-19 care treatment to harnessing human resources, the plan was instrumental in flattering the COVID-19 curve, says Suhas.
On March 15, Suhas issued an order – first of its kind in the country – asking medical and paramedical staff of private hospitals and non-governmental agencies in Ernakulam district to be roped in for COVID-19 prevention activities. Several other district administrations followed suit in the coming days.
“The decision was part of the plan we made, as we were anticipating more cases to come up in the following days. But the spike is not as much as we had anticipated,” he says.
The decentralisation of medical treatment has also been noticeably helpful. “Apart from the tertiary treatment facilities and secondary treatment centres, we have also prepared frontline treatment centres at the community level. We have completed these facilities in six panchayats. As of now, it will be used only to keep people in isolation if necessary,” says the Collector.
The Ernakulam Government Medical College is the district’s main COVID-19 centre for treating very ill patients and those with complicated issues. Nine major private hospitals in the district have also been designated as tertiary treatment centres. Of this, only one hospital has been put to use so far to treat COVID-19 patients.
Different challenges to tackle
One of the major challenges for the district administration, the Collector says, was the influx of passengers into the district from Cochin International Airport Limited (CIAL).
“It was a major challenge. We screened over a lakh passengers at the airport. The majority of the passengers who did not have any symptoms had to be transported to their hometowns in ambulances. We used 654 ambulances for this. After the closure of the airport, the ambulances are being used to serve the district. With tracking facilities we have the live locations of all of these ambulances,” he explains.
The district also had to grapple with a group of tourists, all over 60, from the UK, seven of whom tested positive for the disease. This also caused a sudden jump in the number of positive cases in the district in mid-March. But the seven tourists have now been discharged after recovery. A family member of one of the tourists had alleged to an international news portal that the tourists were not getting good treatment in Kerala.
“That was debunked as the tourists themselves said on recovery that they got the best of treatments. I don’t believe that they would have received such good treatment in their own country,” says Suhas.
Another challenge for the district was the 1.4 lakh migrant workers, the highest in the state. “After the lockdown was announced, we immediately ensured sufficient food supply for the workers. Health camps were conducted. But eventually we have to work on a strategy for them after lockdown. We are now conducting surveys by meeting each and every one of them to find out how things can be improved for them,” he says.
People should not be complacent
While the district has so far been successful in combating the disease, what has the District Collector worried is the attitude of the people.
“Our efforts have been fruitful, but there is no reason for people to be relaxed or complacent. What is important at this juncture is the cooperation of the public. People should step out of their homes only for basic necessities and emergencies. We still have to go a long way to completely win this fight. Due to the leadership of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, we have fought this so far and are in the process of being successful,” the Collector says.
The Collector also appreciated the relentless work of the district’s health care workers and other officials of the district administration.
Post-lockdown challenges for Kochi
Kochi city is the commercial hub of the state. Though the present focus is on eliminating COVID-19, the Collector says that after the lockdown boosting the economy will be the other major focus.
“We are not yet sure whether the lockdown will be extended. But of course the main focus will be on getting the economy back on track and ensuring the restoration of supply chains. It will definitely be a challenge, but right now we are not thinking about that,” he adds.
As a district collector, Suhas believes transparency is key to effective administration. The district administration has been efficient in the transmission of any and all information regarding the district to the people in a timely manner through social media.
“People should know what we’re doing, they should be part of the decision-making. If people are involved in one way or the other in our activities, our work becomes easier and there will be transparency. Ultimately, transparency is the key,” Suhas says.
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