Central doctors' team assesses Covid preparedness in Karnataka

The Centre's team of doctors has concluded its COVID-19 assessment and assistance visit to Karnataka, suggesting strengthening human resources at the health institutions.

Bengaluru: A team of doctors from the Central government has concluded a COVID-19 assessment and assistance visit to Karnataka, suggesting strengthening human resources at the health institutions, an official said on Thursday.

"They (Central team) also made suggestions on medium and long-term measures like strengthening human resources at the health institutions, training and mass counseling," Health and Family Welfare Commissioner Pankaj Kumar Pandey said in a statement.

The Central team's agenda also included assessing the state's response to Covid-19 and provide required assistance.

In Bengaluru, the team visited health facilities, fever clinics and the BMC Victoria Hospital, a designated Covid-19 centre.

Other institutions included the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS), Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Chest Diseases and the National Institute of Virology.

"They were updated on various innovations of the Karnataka government to strengthen health systems and surveillance, including the Critical Care Support Team and tele-ICU unit, the BBMP war room and the media bulletin room," said Pandey.

The team also interacted with local and state health officials in Mysuru, Mandya, Chikkaballapura, Hassan and Dakshina Kannada.

"The Central team held discussions on the state's preparedness on Covid-19 and reviewed the establishment of a designated structure of institutions to serve Covid-19 patients through fever clinics, exclusive Covid care centers and swab collection facilities at taluka and district levels," said Additional Chief Secretary, Jawaid Akhtar.

State health officials also apprised the team about the measures taken to strengthen universal surveillance using databases on tuberculosis, HIV patients and other vulnerable patients.

According to Pandey, the team recognised Victoria Hospital and Surathkal quarantine facilities as centres with model practices besides appreciating Mysuru's screening facility as worthy enough to be emulated by other states.

IANS