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Mangaluru, Apr 25: The Kasturba medical college hospital at Manipal in Udupi district has decided to resume normal outpatient department services for all specialities from Monday.

In a release, hospital medical superintendent Avinash Shetty said the services will be made available from 8.30 am to 1 pm.

The services had been suspended in view of the nationwide lockdown.

Those visiting the hospital should visit the temporary screening kiosk set up outside the hospital, from where they will be shifted to the respective departments.

Mask is essential for all patients and their attenders.

Only one attender is allowed along with a patient.

Doctor's consultation through telemedicine service is also available from 9 am to 4 pm.

Trauma and emergency services will function as usual, the release said.

Bengaluru, Jun 24:  Karnataka on Wednesday reported 397 new coronavirus positive cases, taking the total number of positive cases to 10,118.

According to the State Health Department, with 14 more deaths today, the state's toll has reached 164. While, 6,151 people have been discharged so far.

Hundred per cent of Community Health Centres, 50 per cent of Primary Health Centres and Urban Primary Health Centres will be converted as exclusive 'fever clinics' to screen fever cases for influenza-like illness (ILI)/severe acute respiratory infections (SARI), Karnataka Health Department said.

Bengaluru, Jul 6: A video clip of a Bengaluru-based doctor urging the follow doctors to return to their duty at a time when medicos are desperately needed to fight against COVID-19 has busted the myth of ‘shortage of beds’ in the hospitals. 

In past few of weeks, dozens of people in Bengaluru have lost their lives after hospital denied them admission citing lack of beds. 

Dr Taha Mateen, Managing Director of HBS Hospital, in an emotional message, appealed to healthcare professionals, including doctors, to help handle the situation better. The video has gone viral on social media.

“I speak from the ICU of HBS Hospital. It’s been a virtual bloodbath. I came in the morning at like 7:30 in the morning and its 12’o’clock midnight right now. Patients are continuously calling me now ‘cause their fathers are breathless, their brothers are breathless and they cannot find a room in Bengaluru and at this time if you see there is one Mr Shiva and me. There is no other doctor willing to work in this hospital,” Dr Mateen says in the video.

Dr Mateen further said, "I have beds, I have oxygen beds, I have ventilators, I have all the equipment. I have another 30 beds like this but I don’t have doctors working here.” He said that there is an urgent need to mobilise healthcare staff.

Sources said the COVID-19 patients at the hospital are left with only five doctors and 12 nurses. Until recently, the HBS Hospital had 20 nurses and 44 doctors on its roll.

According to a report, the hospital is facing huge difficulties in treating patients admitted at Intensive Care Units (ICU). Eight patients with severe respiratory problems are admitted to the hospital and are waiting for their COVID-19 test results.

"We have sufficient beds at the hospital to treat coronavirus patients, but we don't have doctors. And we can't admit more patients as we are left with just five doctors, said Dr Taha Mateen.

"All doctors are on WhatsApp, I request all doctors to come out and perform their duties, Dr Mateen said in a video appeal on WhatsApp, Twitter and Instagram. 

According to Dr Mateen, a COVID-19 patient, who was admitted to COVID care centre at Haj  Bhavan, was abandoned on a road by an ambulance driver. Later, the patient was picked by NGO volunteers. 

"The patient was brought to HBS Hospital at 2 am. He had a very low blood oxygen level. We stabilised his condition. Later, we had to send him home as we don't have enough staff to take care of him. We also sent an oxygen cylinder to his home," a report quoted Dr Mateen as saying.