Abu Dhabi-based VPS Healthcare has opened six Covid-19 Prime Assessment Centres to treat infected community members in the emirate. According to a statement issued by Abu Dhabi Public Health Centre (ADPHC), these specialised centres have been set up outside VPS hospitals in Abu Dhabi City, suburbs and Al Ain to provide necessary assistance to COVID-19 infected patients.

Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in the country, this is the first time that a private healthcare group has been designated to set up dedicated assessment centres.

VPS stated that it has designed a comprehensive plan to provide the best quality healthcare services to COVID-19 positive patients in the specially designed tents outside the hospital premises.

Individuals infected with COVID-19 can walk-in to the centre for registration on a first-come first-serve-basis. They will be provided round-the-clock consultation and risk assessment facilities at the fever clinic along with screening and X-ray facilities, blood sample collection, laboratory, among other services. These centres have a combined capacity to serve between 2,000 to 3,000 patients in a day.

Speaking about the initiative, Dr Pankaj Chawla, director of operations, Special Projects at VPS Healthcare, said that these prime assessment centres provide quick and safe access to PCR testing, medical check-up and assistance from specialists to COVID-19 patients.

“A dedicated team of experienced healthcare workers, paramedics, and support staff have been deployed in these centres to offer the best and most efficient services,” Dr Chawla added.

ADPHC also explained that a COVId-19 positive person must conduct a retest at any health facility or SEHA Drive-Thru Screening Centre, following which they can continue to remain in isolation until the result comes. It is highly advised for a person with medium to severe symptoms to visit one of the VPS prime assessment centres for further assessment. Individuals getting a second negative test must take another test within 24 hours to ensure a third negative result.

However, if the second PCR test comes positive, the individual would be required to isolate at home for 10 days or at designated facilities.

They can also visit one of the prime assessment centres set up outside these hospital premises: Burjeel Medical City in Mohamed Bin Zayed City, Medeor Hospital, Abu Dhabi City, LLH Hospital and Lifecare Hospital in Mussafah, Lifecare Hospital in Baniyas and Burjeel Royal Hospital in Al Ain.

Dr Chawla further affirmed that the centres have been established in strict compliance with infection control protocols, including separate entry and exit points. The team is also operating with all biosafety gears such as N95 masks, face shields, and PPE. The official added that all healthcare workers have been exclusively deployed for serving the centre and have been provided specific residences.

Meanwhile, positive individuals who fall under high-risk categories are required to visit assessment centres at: Mafraq Hospital, Al Mushrif Wedding Hall, Madinat Mohamed Bin Zayed Center (Abu Dhabi), Al Ain Convention Center Gate 7 (Al Ain), and Al Dhafra Hospitals Prime Assessment Centres and Madinat Zayed City Center (Al Dhafra).

Procedure at the prime assessment centre

Once the infected individual arrives at the centre, their Al Hosn app or SMS for infection will be checked. In the fever clinic, their vital signs such as oxygen saturation will be measures following which a doctor’s consultation will take place.

In accordance with the risk assessment, the patient will be guided for specific diagnostics like laboratory tests and X-ray.

After the assessment of these reports, patients will be categorised according to their need for home isolation, field quarantine facility or hospital admission.

In case, a patient is identified for home isolation, a tracker watch is fitted on their wrist and necessary medications are assigned. They are sent back home for the completion of 10-day isolation.

For patients identified for home quarantine, field quarantine or hospital admissions will be referred to respective facility through the Estijaba platform in accordance with the directions issued by healthcare regulators.