Mumbai . 26 March 2020. Consequent to the announcement of the 21 days national lock down, Southern Naval Command (SNC) has taken a slew of measures in consultation with the state Government and Naval Headquarters aimed at two pronged strategy to counter the contagion COVID-19, which is to be prepared and equipped to assist the civil society in its fight against the disease and concurrently to ensure insulation of own personnel from infection as well as availability for all duties as required. Ten teams of Battle Field Nursing Assistants (BFNA), comprising of non-medical personnel have been readied at Kochi to help medical staff should the situation become overwhelming. Such BFNA teams are being readied at all other stations under SNC as well. Indian Navy has implemented ‘stay wherever you are, no travel’ policy with regards to its personnel on leave or temporary duty.
Headquarters Southern Naval Command had prepared one of its training units at Kochi as the Corona Care Centre (CCC) for 200 Indian citizens being airlifted by Government of India from different parts of the world back to India as directed by the Govt. earlier. A separate CCC facilities for another 200 service personnel and families has been created for any eventuality affecting service personnel. The two facilities have been prepared as per existing directives of requiring dedicated and isolated food, toilets, medical waste management and recreational arrangements for 14 days. The CCC will be administered by a dedicated group of officers and personnel and a separate Medical Care Centre of Indian Navy doctors and nursing staff, who would conduct the medical aspects of control of the patients. Medical protocols promulgated by Ministries of Health are being strictly adhered to.
Special sanitization drives of public areas and education of personnel including families is being undertaken.
