Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi (JD/SP)
Udupi, May 16: Chief minister (CM), B S Yediyurappa, received suggestions and advice on ways and means to check the advancement of Covid second wave in the state, and also about providing good treatment to the Covid infected persons, with 11 specialist doctors from different parts of the state on Saturday May 15. He also invited suggestions from the medical superintendent of Dr TMA Pai Hospital here, Dr Shashikiran Umakanth.
The CM gathered information on how the patients were initially treated in Dr TMA Pai Hospital, which happens to be the first ever private hospital in the country to have functioned as a fully dedicated Covid hospital. He also gathered information on the advice given by Dr Shashikiran to various hospitals in the district on Covid control and also about the training programmes he framed for their benefit.
Dr Shashikiran stated that initially there was not much information about this pandemic. Still, he said information was pooled from various sources, methods of treatment were studied, and training was given to all the doctors and other staff falling under Karnataka Private Medical Establishments about wearing of masks, maintaining social distance, and use of sanitizers. Video was made on the use of PPE kits and the same was sent to all the doctors. Training was provided online and through personal visits to the hositals about the safety precautions to be taken by the staff, he narrated.
"The doctors and subordinate staff of Dr TMA Pai Hospital worked as a team when treating the patients. With the help of guidelines, suggestions etc received from central and state governments, and support of the district administration and health department, we could provide good services. Till now, over 1,800 people were treated in the hospital. Initially free treatment was provided to all the Covid patients. Later treatment was given under Arogya Karnataka scheme," he stated.
On the questions posed by the CM over the supply of remdesivir and oxygen supply, Dr Shashikiran said there was some shortfall initially in April and May,and the situation has improved now. He said that the district is getting enough remdesivir injections now. On the use of oxygen, he said that the same is used very carefully and oxygen audit and oxygen rounds are being performed to ensure that there is no wastage. He requested the CM to make sure that like other districts,Udupi too gets oxygen without any break.
When Yediyurappa questioned him about his opinion on the utilisation of the services of the final year medical degree students for Covid treatment, Dr Shashikiran noted that there is shortage of medical staff to treat the Covid patients and opined that using the services of such students is a good idea. He said that these students can be administered with vaccine and their services can be used under the supervision of senior doctors after proivding suitable training. The CM said that this suggestion will be implemented.