Haryana to start online psychiatric counselling

HARYANA: Chief Secretary, Keshni Anand Arora directed the nodal officers across the state to start psychiatric counselling for the people through telemedicine and to ensure that the government and private hospitals review their protocols as per the guidelines.

The Chief Secretary gave these directions here today through video conferencing in the meeting of the Crisis Coordination Committee of Nodal Officers appointed for COVID-19. She said that the people need help and counselling in these times.

She also asked the officers to prepare the micro-level planning module for their respective districts at the earliest to tackle the menace of COVID-19. The officers across the state briefed her about the micro-level planning and its implementation in their districts.


She directed the nodal officers to visit all the hospitals in their area and ascertain the availability of necessary kits and equipment, including oxygen cylinders. She also directed to make adequate stay arrangements for hospital staff working at COVID-19 hospitals at suitable places such as dharamshalas. She further instructed that the COVID-19 hospitals should review their protocols as per the guidelines of the government.

The Chief Secretary directed that the control rooms in smart cities Faridabad, Gurugram and Karnal should be made functional at the earliest. She emphasized that adequate training must be imparted to the entire staff working in the field.

She informed that a district-level committee has been constituted to fix the price of the food items. She also directed that a comprehensive data of migrant labourers be compiled, including information of their home towns so that adequate arrangements for their transportation to their native towns could be made.

She directed that no congregation should be allowed during the upcoming festivals. She said that the Resident Commissioner, Haryana should coordinate with Resident Commissioners of other states for the smooth transfer of data with the hospitals of other states, including Delhi.

In the meeting, Additional Chief Secretary, Health and Family Welfare Department, Mr. Rajeev Arora said that the state has collaborated with two private laboratories for testing of COVID-19 and two more laboratories will be added soon after the approval of ICMR. He also informed the laboratory of ESI Faridabad would start testing shortly.

In the meeting, DGP Haryana Police, Manoj Yadav pointed out that fake news and rumours were creating problems and there was a need to keep a tab on it. The Chief Secretary directed the officers to guard against fake news and malicious rumours regarding the spread of COVID-19 and to prepare jingles and videos to disseminate authentic information to the people. She also directed that the police personnel deployed on duties at various naka points should also maintain social distancing.