New Delhi, Aug 25 (PTI) A first-of-its-kind COVID-19 rapid response centre was inaugurated on Wednesday at a leading Delhi government-run coronavirus facility, with Health Minister Satyendar Jain asserting that it will be a "game changer" in treatment of emergency cases of the infection.

The move aims to bolster the city's healthcare infrastructure ahead of a possible third wave of the coronavirus pandemic.

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The centre, which includes an ICU unit, will act as a buffer zone between the patient arrival area and the medical wards. It was opened by Delhi Health Minister Jain at the Rajiv Gandhi Super Speciality Hospital.

After inaugurating the first-of-its-kind 'COVID-19 Rapid Response Centre' at the hospital, Jain said that it will ensure immediate treatment for patients upon reaching the hospital.

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He also said that the centre will be handled by a 24x7 rapid response team to ensure that patients do not have to wait.

The centre will be a "game changer" in treatment of emergency cases of COVID-19,Jain was quoted as saying in a statement issued by his office later.

The Arvind Kejriwal government is leaving no stone unturned in getting government hospitals completely equipped to tackle a possible third wave, he said.

"Under the guidance of CM @ArvindKejriwal to combat the next Covid wave, Delhi government has made a Rapid Response Center at Rajiv Gandhi Super Speciality Hospital. This will be manned with a Rapid Response Team which will work 24×7 and will help in better management of covid patients," Jain tweeted soon after the event.

An official at the 650-bed hospital, which played a critical role in providing Covid care during the first two waves of the pandemic, said, "We need to be prepared for a similar surge (in the future)."

For better management of patients and for matching of bed turnover to the number of patients arriving in real-time, the rapid response centre is the need of the hour, the senior official of the hospital said.

The rapid response centre has been divided into two areas -- a seven-bed triage area and a 23-bed ICU. All beds have multipara monitors with critical care equipment like ventilators, BIPAP machines, HFNC and crash carts, the official said.

It is fully equipped with centralised oxygen supply and suction is available for each bed. A rapid response team, comprising critical care consultants, resident doctors, nursing staff and orderlies and technicians will man the centre.

Patients will be provided complete critical care at the centre till bed availability is ensured in a COVID-19 ward or a Covid ICU ward, the official said.

Jain on Tuesday said medical infrastructure is being ramped up and 37,000 beds dedicated for COVID-19 patients are being set up to tackle the anticipated third wave of the pandemic in the national capital.

During the event on Wednesday, he urged people to remain cautious and follow Covid-appropriate behaviour.

"We must learn from what is happening in the US and the UK right now, where the cases have surged suddenly, so, we must not drop our guard even when the cases have come down in Delhi. We must learn from our experience that any negligence can lead to a disaster, " Jain said.

The national capital had reeled under a brutal second wave of the pandemic, which claimed a massive number of lives daily with the issue of shortage in oxygen supply at various hospitals adding to the woes.

Delhi has so far reported over 14.3 lakh cases of COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic last year while more than 25,000 people have died due to the disease.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)