DK gets 2 Covid-19 mobile sample collection units

Two Covid-19 mobile sample collection units were handed over to district administration by Dakshina Kannada Nirmithi Kendra and Mangalore North MLA Dr Y Bharath Shetty on Sunday.

District In-charge Minister Kota Srinivas Poojary, addressing the gathering, said the mobile units would help in collecting samples from different places to test for Covid-19.

Dr Bharath Shetty said the mobile unit also ensures safety of health workers collecting the samples.

“The swabs will be collected and sealed in an ice box before being transferred to a testing laboratory facility. The persons who will collect the sample will be inside an enclosure, and, hence, will not require PPE. The vehicle has been customised in a manner that it can collect samples from two people simultaenously. Further, the vehicle is well ventilated and has water and hand wash facility,” the MLA said.

The unit developed by Nirmithi Kendra costs Rs 4.5 lakh. In the Nirmithi Kendra's mobile collection unit, five people can comfortably sit inside it. The sample is collected without coming into direct contact with the suspected patient. A public address system helps doctor to interact with the patients. The dos and don'ts on the spread of coronavirus has been painted in bold letters on the vehicle.

In Udupi

A mobile sample collection unit was launched in Udupi too. There is sanitiser, tap for hand wash and a seating arrangement for lab technician to collect the sample. Through the public address system, arrangement has been made to create awareness on the coronavirus. The samples will be collected from five PHCs daily. Kundapur taluk Government Employees’ Association has extended financial support for designing the vehicle.

Kundapur Taluk Health Officer Dr Nagabhushan said that about 5 to 10 samples will be collected from each PHC. Once the lab is set up in the district, then the number of samples collected will be increased. The sample collection has begun in Kundapur and Byndoor taluks.