Bengaluru, Jun 20: The Karnataka Health Department has issued guidelines on the admission of COVID-19 patients in private hospitals after clinical assessment, mandating that the district surveillance officer (DSO) should be first informed to initiate further procedures, an official said on Friday.
"A health team sent by the DSO should visit the home or hospital where the patient is staying. The team should conduct a rapid assessment of his or her health condition," said Karnataka's Additional Chief Secretary Jawaid Akhtar.
In the rapid health condition assessment, the team should first check the patient's body temperature, followed by SpO2 (oxygen saturation) level and confirm if there are any comorbidities such as hypertension, diabetes, tuberculosis, HIV, cancer, stroke etc.
Depending on the health condition of patients, Akhtar said, two categories have been made.
"Those who have body temperature greater than 37.5 degrees Celsius, SpO2 level below 94 percent, elderly (above 60 years) and suffering from known comorbid conditions should be taken to a dedicated Covid hospital (DCH)," he said.
"All other patients, even if older but not suffering from co-morbidities, those below 60 and suffering from co-morbidities and asymptomatic cases should be taken to a dedicated Covid health centre (DCHC) or a private hospital as opted by the patient," he added.
Private hospitals have been asked to pitch in due to the rising number of cases in Karnataka. Currently, there are 2943 active cases in the state after 337 cases were reported on Friday.
"The patients are assessed clinically and evaluated at DCHCs or private hospitals with appropriate diagnostic tests. After evaluation, if the patients are asymptomatic, they are shifted to a COVID Care Centre (CCC) for further management," said Akhtar.
CCCs are expected to be equipped with ventilated rooms, pulse oximeters, handheld thermal scanners and blood pressure apparatus.
A nurse has to be present round the clock for every 50 patients and should visit each patient twice a day for assessment whereas the medical officer has to visit the CCC once a day. He should also be available on call in case of an emergency.
Staff serving food and others should wear personal protective equipment and an N-95 mask. Explaining the procedures at DCHCs, Akhtar said general examinations for medical conditions like body temperature, BP, pulse, oxygen saturation and urine output should be in place.
Investigations such as complete blood count, fasting blood sugar, random blood sugar, liver function tests, renal function tests, ECG and chest X-ray facilities should be available.
"DCHCs should ensure that above examinations are over in an orderly timeline of 24 hours and depending on the examination, the patient is continued to be lodged at the DCHC or sent to DCH or CCC," said the senior officer.
Likewise, the discharge policy should be done as per the protocols issued by the Health Department from time to time.
The Karnataka government is yet to fix an upper limit on the cost of treating COVID-19 patients in private hospitals. While reports indicated that this could be capped at Rs 5200 per day, health officials are yet to specify this is the case. Private hospitals in the state have asked the government to take a collaborative approach in deciding the fixed cap on treatment cost.
The bizarre development comes within hours after Dakshina Kannada district Khazi Thwaka Ahmed Musliyar formally declared the end of Ramadan after verifying the reports of moonsighting from Bhatkal in Uttara Kannada district.
Comments
Do whatever u want but please dont hurl bombs on each others mosques. Here other communities also reside.
Sad development. But the saddest thing is the ongoing grave worship in the same place. May Allah grant them Hidayah.
@Sharat, All are know who plant bombs , fake currencies, communal riots, extremely hungry to get in to power by killing innocent muslims, so better do some home work before post comments
@ Umar Farooq,
Sad thing is that still you are not matured enough to understand what
is grave worshiping ? May Allah grant you good mind to understand the difference between worshiping & respecting.
Then why u watch moon. If u tell this to saudi. They might ban u.
Yes Sharat exactly.... but not like Saadhvi Pragya or Asimanand...
Also not like swami OM baba and Nityananda..
Big salute for your chaddi words...
guys.. dont hurl bombs in Masjid... beside others also reside... better to hurls in Sanghi Shaka...only sanghis will dei.. no others.. they will sitin apart from public ... let them dei.... no issue
Extradited these useless thangas, they are there to devide muslims for their ego class...moon sighting in bhatkal is more than enough to end the month and celebrate the Eid. I think no need many khazis to Mangalore, they are spoil brat of Muslims especially in Mangalore becuase their EGO clash will not work in Kerala.
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