In a bid to provide all necessary assistance to its staffers testing positive for COVID-19 and to facilitate their treatment, the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) has set up a ''Staff Welfare Cell'' and a ''Core Group'' including doctors to manage critical employees.

The welfare cell includes eight members -- Director (Welfare) as Nodal Officer; Assistant Labour Welfare Officer as Assistant Nodal Officer; PA to Director, Welfare Department; Senior Assistant and Head Assistant from Welfare Department, among others.

"NDMC Staff Welfare Cell will provide all necessary help or assistance for proper medical treatment to COVID-19 positive officials of NDMC," the order said.

"On getting the information, the Cell will immediately maintain record/data of the affected or suspected officers or officials and one of the members of the Cell will immediately contact the patient or his family members for facilitating treatment for COVID-19 including organising testing, consultancy and hospitalisation based on the requirement of the employee."

The Cell will collect department wise details of all such officers or officials and follow up with them on a regular basis till they are recovered.

"The NDMC Staff Welfare Cell shall also be responsible for sharing of detail of COVID-19 cases of NDMC employees with the State Nodal Welfare Officer and taking action on their advice."

The Cell will also disseminate relevant information relating to COVID-19 to all officers or officials through their HoDs.

"In case the infected or suspected officer or official is required to be tested or hospitalised, the cell will liaise with the empanelled hospitals or labs for testing and treatment or hospitalization on an urgent basis."

Also, the Cell has been directed to ensure that the families of the infected employees have access to supply of essential goods/services/medicines.

"In case they require any help on these issues the Cell will ensure supply of essential goods/services/medicines either through NDMC or through respective District Administration."

The Cell will be responsible for arranging psychological counselling, moral support and experience sharing with infected employees and their family members through Director (Medical Services), Charak Palika Hospital.

The order also said the Cell will be provided requisite number of staff/logistic support in case the number of COVID-19 positive cases rises in future.

In addition to the Cell, the NDMC has also founded a ''Core Group'' to deal with critical cases and any emergent situation which arises during management of COVID-19 cases relating to NDMC officers/officials.

"The Core Group is constituted with the four members -- Medical Officer Health; Director (MS); Director (Welfare) and Director (Coordination/COVID Cell).

"The Core Group will meet on alternate days to review the situation of COVID-19 cases and will be responsible to brief the Chairman/Secretary on regular basis about the status of COVID-19 cases in NDMC and its management".