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
It is Allah's command that Women should not be prevented from going to Mosque. In the time of prophet muslim women were encouraged to mosque and listen to friday sermon even if they have periods. Please remember this Surah 22.25. Where Allah state he will punish people who keep belivers from Mosque. PLEASE TRY TO SEPERATE CULTURE FROM ISLAM. If want to stay out of hell
Well said, brother shaji
@ Nida Madam.
Even in makkah & Madina there is separate facility for men and women. Some people do break this restriction, they mingle and stand for prayer. This has to be dealt by the authorities of Haram. If they fail to control this, it doesn't m
Mr Mohammed, Mangalore!
So, in your family, ladies dont perform hajj? if they perfom whether they enter masajid in makkah, madinah and other place or not ?
rightly said Brother muhammed Manglore
It is highly advisable for ladies to pray at home but it doesn't meant that they cannot pray in Masjid.....depending upon the circumstances...
Wa Fantastic Movement.
Chief Minister Hat off.
Declining Muslim women for praying in Masjid is not correct. they should be allowed to pray there but a separate place should be allocated to them as Women are not allowed to mix with men while praying. Nowhere men and women pray together. there is separate place for women everywhere. It is not right that Islam does not allow women to pray in the Masjid. People who are forcing women to allow in the Masjid are either hypocrites or less educated. As per the Sharia, her own house is more important to a woman than a Masjid. Praying by woman in the house is more acceptable than praying in the Masjid unless she is in the Market or in journey. Every Masjid should have separate place for women to pray and none should object it. However, it is useless for fighting for entry of Woman in Masjid as it is useless. those who are forcing woman entry in the masjid are non muslims or visiting masjid once in a week and on Eid days. I dont think an educated and well known Muslim woman will fight for her entry in the Masjid as she will prefer to pray in the house which is more acceptable in Islam. I request hypocrites not to waste time in unnecessary things and try to follow Islam correctly. Dont be followers of Iblees and put yourself in Jahannum.
women praying place called prayer room (musallah nisa) and for men it is called mosque (masjid).
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