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 court has ordered that seven members of Akhlaq's family be booked under relevant sections of the IPC. Cow slaughter is banned in Uttar Pradesh.
Comments
Ache din ki maa ki aur Modi ki .....
Modi visits all country for yoga publicity.
Why he is silent on protecting cows(hindu god) in foreign country ?
RSS and all hindu Groups should approach foreign country to stop killing their Gods, If foreign country rejects their proposal then they should take actions to boycott foreign goods.
Is there any man in RSS or Hindu group to stop killing of Hindu God in the world ?
Impotent people can bark in their boundary only with their hired media.
After all God is more important than Yoga.
WHO ARE THE JUDGES?
NOW A COW IS SAFE THAN A HUMAN BEING.
AMERICA imports and eats hindu god daily. Why modi is silent on this issue ?
He should approach other country to protect hindu god. Which is weaker by nature.
Impotent justice from impotent people. Expecting justice from idol worshipper is totally wrong.
Kabir Meat exporting company is run by RSS people. It kills millions of Hindu God daily.
Why there is no FIR against them?
Modi has given subsidy to kill hindu god.
If the did kill a cow they do deserve punishment , Did modi make him kill a cow ?
This is called justice....?
Modi Government is trying to get these murderers out from the jail to use them in the upcoming election in Uttar Pradesh....what a tragedy...there is no value for human kind...no humanity left in this country...by hook or crook these crooks want to rule the country....
HEADS UP TO OUR INDIAN LAW,
ACCHE DIN KI CHAMATH KAAAR...
Delay tactics to Justice, so grieved family get fed up by this way...common ppl loose confidence on law system in our country
Why there is no FIR against Sangeet Som who is killing cow every day and exprting under Al Anam and other company name? Can the activists and govt take any action against this guy?
What a joke yar,,,,,,this is the stupid RSS and BJP
A big Joke of the year
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