<p>As the number of COVID-19 cases rise, the spotlight has fallen on the Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Chest Diseases (RGICD) where patients testing positive to coronavirus are admitted.</p>.<p>Doctors at the institute — which mainly treats tuberculosis and chest and respiratory diseases — say the four patients currently treated for the infection are responding well.</p>.<p>When asked if the 13-year-old girl with the Covid-19 infection would require the attention of pediatric pulmonologists, RGICD director Dr C Nagaraj said: “There are six isolation beds in the Indira Gandhi Institute of Child Health. Should the girl need treatment from pediatric pulmonologists, we’ll approach them.” </p>.<p>Health minister B Sriramulu also said young and pediatric patients do not need special care or treatment, while minister of medical education Sudhakar said the treatment for the 13-year-old will be the same as the adult patients.</p>.<p>“The only important thing, in this case, is that the patient should respond. If they do, there is no need for pediatric specialists,” said Sudhakar.</p>.<p>However, experts like Dr Illin Kinimi, a pediatric pulmonologist from Manipal Hospital, believe that the girl should be given specialist care.</p>.<p>“A general physician can manage basic things like screening. But if the child gets sick, the pediatric pulmonologist and pediatric intensivist should take care,” Dr Illin said.</p>.<p>Dr Chetan Ginigeri, consultant, pediatric ICU at Aster CMI Hospital, said a general paediatrician can care for the patient if the symptoms exist for four to five days. “Beyond that, if the child has rapid breathing or high-grade fever, that is when pediatric pulmonologist or pediatric intensivists step in,” he said.</p>.<p>Meanwhile, patients are flooding RGICD from January 20, the day the Airport Health Organisation began screening international passengers with thermal scanners for high fever. Anyone with flu-like symptoms enters the hospital and demands a coronavirus test. The demand has prompted RGICD to set up separate desks for general patients and travellers. However, not everyone showing symptoms are tested, as the paramedics outside the Covid-19 isolation ward take note on the patient’s travel details, besides checking blood pressure and temperature.</p>.<p>“Only people who had been to the affected countries are tested (for Covid-19),” said a paramedic.</p>.<p>RGICD has 50 specialists across different categories such as pulmonologists, cardiologists, paediatricians, physicians, anaesthetists, and cardiothoracic surgeons.</p>.<p>Among them, two pulmonologists, a cardiologist and two paediatricians are treating the infected people.</p>
<p>As the number of COVID-19 cases rise, the spotlight has fallen on the Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Chest Diseases (RGICD) where patients testing positive to coronavirus are admitted.</p>.<p>Doctors at the institute — which mainly treats tuberculosis and chest and respiratory diseases — say the four patients currently treated for the infection are responding well.</p>.<p>When asked if the 13-year-old girl with the Covid-19 infection would require the attention of pediatric pulmonologists, RGICD director Dr C Nagaraj said: “There are six isolation beds in the Indira Gandhi Institute of Child Health. Should the girl need treatment from pediatric pulmonologists, we’ll approach them.” </p>.<p>Health minister B Sriramulu also said young and pediatric patients do not need special care or treatment, while minister of medical education Sudhakar said the treatment for the 13-year-old will be the same as the adult patients.</p>.<p>“The only important thing, in this case, is that the patient should respond. If they do, there is no need for pediatric specialists,” said Sudhakar.</p>.<p>However, experts like Dr Illin Kinimi, a pediatric pulmonologist from Manipal Hospital, believe that the girl should be given specialist care.</p>.<p>“A general physician can manage basic things like screening. But if the child gets sick, the pediatric pulmonologist and pediatric intensivist should take care,” Dr Illin said.</p>.<p>Dr Chetan Ginigeri, consultant, pediatric ICU at Aster CMI Hospital, said a general paediatrician can care for the patient if the symptoms exist for four to five days. “Beyond that, if the child has rapid breathing or high-grade fever, that is when pediatric pulmonologist or pediatric intensivists step in,” he said.</p>.<p>Meanwhile, patients are flooding RGICD from January 20, the day the Airport Health Organisation began screening international passengers with thermal scanners for high fever. Anyone with flu-like symptoms enters the hospital and demands a coronavirus test. The demand has prompted RGICD to set up separate desks for general patients and travellers. However, not everyone showing symptoms are tested, as the paramedics outside the Covid-19 isolation ward take note on the patient’s travel details, besides checking blood pressure and temperature.</p>.<p>“Only people who had been to the affected countries are tested (for Covid-19),” said a paramedic.</p>.<p>RGICD has 50 specialists across different categories such as pulmonologists, cardiologists, paediatricians, physicians, anaesthetists, and cardiothoracic surgeons.</p>.<p>Among them, two pulmonologists, a cardiologist and two paediatricians are treating the infected people.</p>
