More than 40 doctors of Mysuru origin settled in the United Kingdom have joined the telemedicine initiative launched by the Mysuru district administration for the treatment of COVID-19 patients in home isolation.
Disclosing this after participating in a video conference with Prime Minister Narendra Modi here on Tuesday, Deputy Commissioner Rohini Sindhuri said they will give telemedicine assistance to the patients. Those developing COVID-19-like symptoms can also make use of the facility for treating the infection at home. More than 80 doctors associated with service organisations such as Rotary have also joined the initiative.
Mr Modi on Tuesday interacted with Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa and the Deputy Commissioners of 17 districts, including Mysuru, on the prevailing COVID-19 situation and the measures to be taken for flattening the curve.
Ms Sindhuri said ‘COVID-19 Mitra’, a triaging initiative, launched in Mysuru district was mentioned when the Prime Minister asked about any new initiatives introduced for controlling the pandemic.
As over 50 per cent of COVID-19 cases are detected in rural areas in the district, all 150 primary health centres (PHCs) had been converted into COVID-19 Mitras for triaging of the patients. “Details of the concept have been sent in detail to the Centre,” she told reporters, after the video conference.
Ms. Sindhuri said the Prime Minister wanted steps taken to contain the spread of the pandemic in villages following reports of rise in the number of cases in rural areas.
The first five days of treatment upon the onset of symptoms was crucial for faster recovery and around 85 per cent of cases can be cured in home isolation, she said.
More than 10,000 patients had taken treatment visiting COVID-19 Mitras in the taluks since the launch of the initiative. “In the absence of the initiative, people would have delayed treatment and got admitted in hospitals after deterioration of their health conditions,” she opined.
Thanks to COVID-19 Mitras, the ASHA workers are reaching out to every household in the villages through the local task forces and telling the people to seek immediate medical attention in case of any symptom. “I am confident that the infection rate in the rural areas will decrease in the days ahead,” Ms. Sindhuri said.
Incentives for panchayats
In a bid to make villages free from the pandemic, the district administration is planning to rope in gram panchayats. If the panchayats succeed in containing the pandemic, they would be honoured and given cash prizes, she said.
In recent days, NGOs and individuals have donated medicines and oxygen concentrators. They would be handed over to the needy hospitals in the taluks, Ms Sindhuri said, adding that higher allocation of medical oxygen for Mysuru district had been sought from the State government.
