Kasaragod, Apr 19: Kasaragod, Kerala's COVID-19 hotspot, is the only district in the southern state lacking adequate health infrastructure.
In spite of treating the highest number of COVID-19 patients in the state with meagre infrastructural facilities and even without the support of a medical college in the north Kerala district, no deaths have been reported due to coronavirus.
The state health department views the performance of M Kunhiraman and his team, consisting of Janardhana Naik and Krishna Naik, at the General hospital in Kasaragod as a success story.
"Not only did they control the situation quickly with minimum infrastructure, they also started turning out a large number of negative cases within a few weeks and creditably ensured zero mortality.
This can be showcased as a best global model," Chairman of the Information Education and Communication (IEC) Committee and Project Director Kerala State Aids Control Society, R Ramesh said.
Recalling the ordeal, Janardhana Naik said his first major challenge was the physical examination of a patient with suspected COVID-19.
"Even with the PPE kit, nobody knew how effective they were and it took a whole 30 minutes to wear them properly.
But as time passed, we got accustomed to it," he said.
The traditional method of dealing with a patient involved knowing his or her history, observation and physical examination.
For hundreds of years, the hands-on body approach has been the soul of the doctor-patient relationship -- taking the pulse, tapping on and listening to the chest, feeling lumps.
With the onset of COVID-19 all that has changed.
"In fact, the whole exercise was fraught with grave risks because everything connected with COVID-19 was new.
Doctors have to keep a distance even though the physical examination wearing a Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is difficult.
Sounds from the body are inaudible, vision is blurred through the smog-covered goggles and a stethoscope seldom has any use," Janardhana Naik said.
It was from March 15 that the hospital started receiving COVID-19 patients, primarily from Dubai.
By the time the first person came, the hospital was ready for him.
Soon, patient numbers began to swell and in a couple of weeks they reached about 91.
From then on, it was teamwork.
Committees were formed for each and every task, including the help desk, IT, treatment, medical board, training, food, waste disposal and data maintenance.
Initially, patients had many misgivings about the hospital.
"Some were disillusioned and even aggressive. Some were not happy with the facilities the hospital had to offer.
But gradually through good treatment and counselling by a psychiatrist, who visited the hospital on alternate days, the confidence and mood of the patients changed and they became friendly with the staff," Naik elaborated.
Counselling was also given to the concerned family members of the patients.
Besides treatment, the medical staff had to spend a considerable amount of time clearing the doubts of patients.
When they got discharged some patients insisted on seeing the faces of the medical staff, who till then were anonymous entities covered from head to toe.
Some even wanted to take selfies with them.
However, the medical team politely turned down their requests and preferred to remain hidden in their work attires.
The mood of the patients also rubbed off on the doctors and hospital staff.
All the physicians and hospital staff are now more confident of dealing with contagious diseases after treating COVID-19 patients.
"Our previous experience of treating H1N1, Chikungunya and Dengue cases helped us a lot.
Words of encouragement from the Health Minister K K Shailaja, Health Principal Secretary Dr Rajan N Khobragade and Health Services Director Dr Sarita R L gave us the impetus to build up confidence.
Moreover, the field health workers did a wonderful job in containing the viral spread," Naik added.
As the number of coronavirus cases rose, the state government on April 5 deputed a 26-member medical team from Thiruvananthapuram to set up a COVID-19 hospital in the district.
They turned a block of the under construction Government Medical College as a hospital-like facility, setting up a 200 bed facility to treat coronavirus patients.
Comments
VHP are the most jobless people on earth. If they want to do social service..there are a hundreds of things they can do..and it's a very sad reality that these VHP people who are \so called hindus\" haven't read a page of their Scripture..it is their Hindu scripture that tells them to eat beef and other non veg. This clearly shows their level of knowledge. This is all a drama!because I have met so many hindus (I don't lie because I fear Allah) who eat beef..And even Christians who are no where in this beef issue. And i even know of these SAME NATAK HINDUS WHO PUT A NEW BORN MALE CALF INTO GOBAR GAS TANK BECAUSE THEY THINK MALE CALF ARE OF NO USE."
Is it mr true Indian ?,cmon give me a break. First learn English then advice me..from.which wahabist madrasa you learnt English .first learn the difference between \ leaving \" and \" living \" .then advice .sorry I am not a voter in US .if mr trump wins the election .I will be more happy because he knows how to handle Islamic terrorism wel . I am okay with racial profiling and I never met intolerance in this alien land ."
@Ahmed
When trump kicks u out from usa. What u will do. U r leaving in USA. But ur english is very poor.
@Ahmed fake.
ur usa funding and created terrorists. Shame on u.
Just type hilary clinton and taliban on utube. U will get the answer.
I never tried to divide. I tried to unite.
Pork carries lots of diseases an
Mr True Indian .don't talk like nonsense. I doubt you are an Indian.when we live in multi religious society we must respect others faith. If not becoz bastards like you .society gets divided.I clearly say its becoz of people like you sangh parivar is getting into violence mode .are you aware of cheddis power these days ? Come here and see.no no ...I don't think you will get not even tourist visa with your attitude for USA.whether you accept it or not ..100% sure Mr Modi will bring uniform civil code and we will be in real mess thereafter .so always advice respect other faiths .let's keep religion within home and private and outside let's live like Indians.Hindus take out hides from dead animals .do you know that ?...beef meat means buffalo meat also ....there is no restriction for them to eat it .PFI blocked?,I don't think so. They are having free time becoz of congress govt .moment table turns real problem will crop up. We must never underestimate cheddi log .even though I don't endorse them .its the fact .now they are more powerful than before .we might glorify PFI kfd and CFI .but we must know and predict our future positions.certainly we will have more problems if we allign with wahabist mentality groups in coming days.
Bopanna
But we dont eat. Have u seen a single muslim who ate pork. But i have seen many cheddies who eat beef and pork.
Pork is the only animal on earth which eats his own shit.
Pork eaters are also called as shit eaters. Ru pork's shit eater.
What about serving pork to Muhammad and all of you ,?
chaddis are with a intention to spoil youngsters life.
i/o of doing public welfare.
If one visit beef serving hotel it's real fun to see chaddis enjoying beef
Y don't u guys BAN export of beef which has increased
hahahaha look at one of he guy's comment(mainly we have to destroy bunder), for your kind info couple of years ago BEEF MANDI was under he hands of few hindutva activists, why didnt u destroy then ?
these people give big dialogues about go maathe and all and when they boose they make sure that they have a plate of beef fry.
HYPOCRITES.
Go and tell Modi to stop exporting cow meat.....before start killing innocent human kind....you don't have value and respect towards human kind....heartless creatures....killers of Mahatma Gandhi....
Yes you are right ....................Great result ...finally forced to change the tactics .....after Great resistance from Popular front of India and its allies such as Komu souarda vedike and like minded people and all other 95% Indian Citizens ...these fanatics agreed to change the tactics ...Jai Ho ........
WE CAN DO IT.......5 % Fascists V/S All other Sound Minded . Days are near when these Fanatics are dragged into the prison or to rehabilitation centres .
Vishwa hindu Pakistan
These coward people dont have guts to ban beef in goa.
Kick these vhp to pakistan. Police is not able to catch thogadia. How can they catch dawood.
Sachin Tendulkar’s Ferrari car. Udhav Tackrey’s Mercedes car. Baba Ramdev’s many luxurious car's interior are made from gau mata.
replace their car seat with steel chair.
And many luxurious brands in india like channel louis vuitton burberry gucci etc. most POLTICIANS use it. Are made from gau mata.
First look at ur own family member. Might fallen in love jihad.
How u people will survive without beef with alcohol.
Cheddis are known for their deception
Even after they were caught red handed by their own act of love jihad and cow Stealing, they are giving this shameful statements.. In future we will see this cheddis will be trapped in their deception again..
They think people are still fools accepting what they want .. But I wonder why dont some fools still dont understand this game of deception from the deceivers who learnt their lessons from the greatest deceiver on earth, the zionist... who will dump Indians as well as dump the cheddis with their evil acts...
u cannot stop anything in india, india will be the safest place for all like us.
banning caw slaughtering its just a dream.
for coming 100 or 1000 years, u cannot stop cow slaughtering, its our right we will eat till our death.
yes mainly we have to destroy bunder in this case
Hope at least your new strategy will stop beef export!!!
wow good news. Jai hindu rastra.
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