With experts predicting the possibility of a third wave of the pandemic, the Dharwad district administration has begun taking precautionary measures focussing more on treatment of children as they are considered more vulnerable to infection during the third wave.
Chairing a preparatory meeting on steps to be taken to fight a possible third wave in Dharwad on Monday, Deputy Commissioner of Dharwad Nitesh Patil asked the officials to walk the extra mile to ensure that requisite medical infrastructure is put in place in case of any such eventuality.
The State government has already issued a series of guidelines to make necessary medical preparations with focus on treatment for children and the officials should ensure adherence to the guidelines, he said.
Emphasising the need for ensuring strict adherence to COVID-19 Appropriate Behaviour, Mr. Patil said that like before, stress should be on mandatory wearing of face masks, maintaining physical distancing and sanitising hands without fail.
Priority should also be given to testing, tracking, tracing, triaging, treating and use of technology to contain the spread of the disease, the Deputy Commissioner said.
As it had been done before, patients in home isolation should be provided tele-consultation and regular monitoring of their health condition should be ensured.
In case of need, health assistants should hold counselling for such patients, he said.
Mr. Patil briefed about the need for declaring a locality as a containment zone in case of more than five cases being reported.
An entire floor or, if needed, the whole apartment should be declared as a containment zone in the event of more number of cases being reported from residential apartments
Children wards
Considering the possibility of children being more vulnerable during the third wave, already special children wards have been set up at the Karnataka Institute of Medical Sciences (KIMS) in Hubballi, the District Civil Hospital in Dharwad and all taluk hospitals to provide a total of 190 beds. Private hospitals too have set up special wards for children.
They have made 346 beds available for the purpose, he said and asked the health officials to increase the total number of beds available to 750.
Chief Executive Officer of Zilla Panchayat B. Susheela, Municipal Commissioner Suresh Itnal, Assistant Deputy Commissioner Shivanand Karale, Assistant Commissioner B. Gopalkrishna, KIMS Director Ramalingappa Antaratani, District Surgeon Shivakumar Mankar, District Health Officer Yashwanth Madinkar and others were present.
