From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network
Bengaluru, May 25: Deputy chief minister and State Covid Task Force chief Dr C N Ashwath Narayan on Tuesday expressed his annoyance at final year medical students for not participating in the Tele-Consultancy service offered to Covid positive patients under Home Isolation.
Reviewing the step-down system of providing Tele-Consultancy services to home isolation patients virtually, he said the home isolation arrangement has considerably improved during the Covid second wave as against the shortcomings experienced during the first wave last year.
While warmly appreciating over 10,000 medical students and over 800 expert doctors who have taken part in the step-down Tele-Consultancy service, he took exception to the failure of many of the final year students who were shirking their duties.
"What is the message these would doctors are giving if they hesitate and are not willing to lend their helping hand in providing Tele-Consultancy for helpless people under home isolation?’’ he asked.
Dr Narayan said the medical profession is serving the people in their need and not escapism. The state government had asked that all the final year medical students must be deployed for Tele-Consultancy service. But unfortunately, only a small proportion of students have come forward while the majority of the students have abstained. "This is really unfortunate,’’ he said.
The final year medical students must realize that all the Covid patients cannot be treated in hospital and people with the minor or not-so-serious condition must be confined to home isolation, he said.
The deputy chief minister said as many as 3.6 lac Covid positive patients have been provided with treatment through Tele-Consultancy and over 6 lac manual calls have been made while more than 5 lac short message service (SMS) has been sent. As many as 8,000 Covid infected people have been referred to Covid Care Centres while 4,700 persons have been sent to hospitals. Another 1,000 seriously infected persons have been urgently shifted to hospitals by arranging ambulances, he said this is no small achievement.
Dr Narayan explained that the home isolation system has been completely discontinued in rural areas as it is impossible for the Covid infected people to follow the necessary protocols. All such persons are being compulsorily shifted to Covid Care Centres. The Covid care system has been completely decentralised and arrangements for providing quality treatment at the taluk level have been made, he explained.
During the virtual meeting conducted by the deputy chief minister, home isolation supervising officer, Pankaj Kumar Pandey named 10 doctors and 10 final year medical students for doing exemplary work and Dr Narayan congratulated them.
Hassan district gets Rs 10 cr, 30 ventilators
Incidentally, the deputy chief minister fulfilled his promise to release Rs 10 crore to the Hassan district within a day of making the promise on Saturday. This will help the Hassan district to tackle the urgent medical requirements, he said.
The elected representatives of Hassan district and the local administration had requested Dr Narayan to arrange supply of 30 ventilators, which also have been sent by Monday evening, he said.
Dr Narayan said the state government does not delay or procrastinate in attending to the problems in controlling the Covid pandemic. We will provide any facility as and when necessary, he added.