Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SP)

Mangaluru, May 6: Noting that over 85.70 percent of people identified with coronavirus infection in the district are in home isolation, Dakshina Kannada district in-charge minister, Kota Srinivas Poojary, advised the officials to form medical teams to keep track of the health of such people and extend treatment as and when necessary.

He was speaking after presiding over a meeting of medical experts held in the auditorium of the office of the deputy commissioner here, for the purpose of precautionary measures needed to be undertaken in the light of the increasing number of infected persons.

"The district has 8,414 Covid active cases. Out of them, 1,204 are being treated in hospitals and 7,210 are being looked after at their respective homes. 14.3 percent of the total patients are in hospitals. Again, 75 percent of those in home isolation are from urban areas. The medical teams should extend good treatment to them, and keep enquiring them about their health condition," he advised.

He asked the deputy commissioner to form over 78 teams which also should have doctors, to treat people on home isolation. These teams should undertake door-to-door visits and treat the Covid patients. For monitoring their activities, officials should be posted, he told the deputy commissioner.

He asked the officials to collect details of people aged over 45 and those below that age limit, identify those among them who suffer from comorbidities like blood pressure, diabetes and other ailments. He asked them to arrange for their blood and other tests and treat them for their other health problems.

"The people have been given exemption from lockdown-like curfew in the morning hours for the specific purpose of buying the essentials. People should restrain from roaming around and whiling away time during this period," he advised.

Poojary informed that there are complaints from the people that private nursing homes extending treatment to Covid patients are collecting excessive charges than what is prescribed by the government. "We should make sure that this does not happen. If any excess charges are collected, people can complain to the office of the district health officer so that the excess amount can be refunded," he said.

Poojary said that medical institutions have opined that Remdesivir medicine is not needed to treat all the infected persons. It is given to those suffering from acute breathing problems since early stages. He said that this medicine should be given to only those patients for whom it is needed.

MP, Nalin Kumar Kateel, noted that some people getting treated at their homes come to hospital after they suffer extreme breathing problems at the last minute. He said this should not happen and asked the infected persons to contact medical officers or ANMs working in the control room about the problems they face on a day-to-day basis. He advised the concerned to make use of the services of the medical students of the eight medical colleges in the district to inquire about the health of those in home isolation. He also asked the officials to make a video about the responsibilities to be undertaken by those on home isolation and see that it reaches all the people.

Deputy commissioner of the district, Dr Rajendra K V, said that the Covid cases are expected to rise in the coming days and the district administration will be providing ventilators and ventilator ambulances. He advised the district surgeon to make arrangements for the same in Wenlock Hospital. He also said that wherever there is shortage of doctors to treat the Covid patients, doctors and medical staff would be deployed.

Noting that several private firms and religious institutions are coming forward to open and manage Covid care centres, he asked the district health officer to check the centres about the existence of basic facilities for the patients there before the centres are allowed to operate, and that the centres should function only after the officer gives his nod.

MLA Bharath Y Shetty, zilla panchayat chief executive officer Dr Kumar, additional deputy commissioner Dinesh, sub-divisional officer Madan Mohan, district health and family welfare officer Dr Kishore, district surgeon and superintendent Dr Sadashiv Shanbhogue, Lady Goschen Hospital medical superintendent Dr Durgaprasad, Dr Chakrapani, Dr Abhay Nirgude, Dr Sripad G Machandali and other medical officers were present.