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.
The victim has been identified as R Rudresh (42), a resident of Milkman Street in Shivajinagar. He was a BJP and RSS worker.
Comments
He died of a powder, which was scheduled to end his rowdy there anything special that he did,
Finally RSS got the sponsors for their trousers.
Chaddi to Pants journey
Whoo!!! chaddis have become Panties now!!!
He is a victim...it could be a dirty political game. BJP-RSS finds a good guy in their own association & plots a plan against muslims by killing them. This is well known. But Allah is the best planner. None in the universe surpass him. Allahu Akbar
Dear Chinnan , we condemn innocent's killings ....but these (RSS) are traitors who plot to kill INDIAN Citizens.....and hoisting Pakistani flag in Sindhagi
Muslims never betrayed INDIA .....these are you who traited our country
Quran Says 5:32 Whoever kills a person (unjustly)it is as though he has killed all Mankind. And whoever saves a life it is as though he had saved all Mankind.
Dont judge islam by seeing people rather Islam is totally opposite to what you see.
@ Naresh kotian. Your barking statement neither bring any solution to calm the situation nor influence the people of any faith, unless they are sick minded. I have been reading your sick comments every time, and I'm sorry to say that you are a uncivilized
Some of the morons like Kotians in this forum are suffering from inferior complex
They are jealous about Muslims. And I still wonder why Indian Muslims are associated with the neighbour country when there is no connection .
Why can't u associate us with countries like Saudi Arabia UAE etc
This reflects their cheap mentality and intolerance, which is taught in their chaddi Shaka's
And why surgical within...,if Allah wills a tsunami like natural disaster can wipe out entire humanity without differntiating Hindus mulsim Christians
So stop this hatred towards other communities
And look at the deceased. In which angle he looks like a RSS worker...bcos he looks like a goon.This murder could be for Girl, real estate or drug
Why drag muslims to it , Think why he is killed , muslims do not celebrate death of any person.. If deceased is having criminal back ground , it is a lesson to other criminals , same may face same end...
bros.... why roam with hate minds... spread happiness , accept reality...
Naina, Vijaya,
Please do not come to your own conclusion....let the law take its course of action.....don't count the chicken before hatch....
Its very bad!
RIP ....there is no safety for Hindus in rashtra drohi community controlled congress ..they hacked Prashanth ,charan kuttappa and Raju ....now rudresh....jai Sri ram ....jihadis will certainly have to face repercussions ...they were upset with surgical strikes on their co brothers in pak ...now its high time surgical strikes needed within ....jai sangh parivar ....
@laila; Stop dragging, muslims into ur dirty hindusht politics
Vote bank politics at its best. An RSS worker killed nothing happens! When a Muslim or a Christian is killed (not a good thing either) it is award wapasi time. Sick Congress and Leftists!
No one deserves to be killed in a civilised society.
These type of murders and lynchings etc always happen, just before any elections. These are happening right from Nehru's period. He murdered Shyama Prasad Mukherjee, Rafiq Ahmed Kidwai etc. few more BJP and RSS workers will be murdered by Congress
RSS ? what does it stand for? Rahul-Sonia Slave ?
If a RSS worker is killed it is not a considerable offence because they are fundamentalists. If the same thing happened to others it means atrocities, anti secular, anti national, terrorist activity. When we will get up and live in the environment of reality.
@shiva, If people start killing people of one particular community for insulting girls then almost 90% of them will vanish.
I hate RSS and their Bhakts but killing any person in such a way should be condemned...... If people started killing Bhakts for insulting girls then more than 70% of Bhakts will vanish.
Hack the culprits back in a same way. hindus will not tolerate any oppression either..
If u live by sword, u die by sword
The Cong govt has no answer to give to the people over its failure to protect innocent hindus.
This should not have happened. Very sad. May Almighty Allah give courage and strength to the bereaved family members, relatives and friends to bear this irreparable loss.
Weak policing all over the country are bolstering the criminals to beat, kill, maime each other. Terrible. Strictest action needed.
Hindu murdered,all of u have no problem
But if a muslim/ Christian was murdered,u call it as fascism,terrorism,brutality,...olakkeede moody
What a ****** country
How We Hindus live here
i remember
Kalburgi
Panasare
Dabolkhar...
PARA NARI rudresh is a GOONDA. CPI(M) fools people in the name of secularism. For them secularism is being anti Hindu. They dare dont criticise Islam and its traditions but take pride in talking ill of Hindu traditions and Hinduism.
Lives of Hindus are in dangers under Siddu govt :(
It's Muslim groups who is doing to bjp
It seems rationalists are having a bad time in the sub-continent for the years. Shame really!
So sorry to hear that..
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