Kerala hospital sets up 'wisks' to test COVID-19 patients

A Government Medical College Hospital in Kerala's Kochi has installed COVID WISK (Walk-in Sample Kiosk) at its premises for the safe collection of samples of people having coronavirus symptoms. The cost of manufacturing one kiosk is around Rs 40,000.

Kochi: Inspired by South Korea's innovative way of testing for COVID-19 symptoms, a Government Medical College Hospital here has set up low cost kiosks at its premises for safe collection of samples of symptomatic people.

The indigenously built COVID WISK (Walk-in Sample Kiosk) installed at the Medical College Hospital is shaped like an old telephone booth that is closed from four sides. One side is made of glass with two holes where detachable and disposable rubber gloves are fixed. The gloves are fixed for the health worker to insert a hand and collect blood and swab samples from symptomatic patients.

Ernakulam District Collector S Suhas launched the two kiosks at the hospital premises here. "This kiosk is a very safe easy makeable thing. Any health facility in India can make it. More important is that it gives adequate protection to the healthcare workers, as well as the patients.

This keeps health workers safe while collecting samples", Resident Medical Officer of the hospital, Dr Ganesh Mohan said.

The cost of manufacturing one kiosk is around Rs 40,000, official sources said here.

The Medical College plans to move one of the wisks to the isolation facility to safely take samples of the people tested postive for the COVID-19, Mohan said.

He opined that the WISK should be made mandatory in all hospitals. "This is a simple, healthy way of collecting samples of patients with symptoms of coronavirus, H1N1 and any such diseases. It is a low cost, common man's idea which will help everybody", Mohan said.

He said the kiosk was developed taking inspiration from South Korea, where such kiosks are used for collecting samples of symptomatic COVID-19 patients.

PTI Report