JOIN USMLA M P Appachu Ranjan visited the designated Covid hospital in Madikeri on Wednesday and spoke to the Covid-19 patients. He tried to boost their confidence.
The sudden visit by the MLA was in the wake of complaints by the inmates about the non-availability of hot meals and hot water in the Covid-19 ward.
The MLA enquired about the health of the Covid-19 patients and served meals to them. He urged the patients not to lose confidence and to be brave.
Later, he convened a meeting of the medical officers.
Kodagu Institute of Medical Sciences (KoIMS) Director Dr Cariappa, Superintendent Dr Lokesh and Resident Medical Officer Dr Roopesh Gopal provided the necessary information on the activities of the designated Covid-19 hospital.
Covid Care Centres in five places
Deputy Commissioner Charulata Somal said that the district administration is working on a war footing towards controlling the Covid-19 pandemic. Covid Care Centres have been opened in five places in the district.
Currently, patients are being admitted at the Covid Care Centres in the three taluks. Necessary medication is being provided to the patients, she said.
Medical Officers said that 250 beds are set up in Navodaya School in Madikeri taluk, 100 beds in Covid Care Centre in Koodige and 80 beds in Morarji Desai Residential School in Arji village in Virajpet taluk.
Also, Ekalavya Residential School in Ponnampet and Basavanahalli School in Kushalnagar are reserved for Covid Care Centres, said the officials.
District Health and Family Welfare Officer Dr Anand said that necessary steps are taken towards controlling the pandemic.
In the district, there are 11 tempo travellers, eight 108 ambulances, 10 state ambulances, 6 Nagu-Magu vehicles, two mobile medical units, four vehicles for the transportation of bodies and seven Omni vehicles for the collection of throat swabs and 15 cars for transportation of the samples, he added.
Undertrials test positive
Two inmates of the district prison have tested positive for Covid-19. When their swab samples were collected and tested before confining them to the prison, they tested positive for Covid-19.
Currently, they are being provided treatment at the hospital.
Two undertrials who had come in primary contact with the infected, have already been released on bail from the prison.
The officials of the district prison have contacted them and have asked them to get themselves tested and stay in quarantine.
The health checkup of 136 inmates in the district prison is carried out once a week and necessary medical facilities are being provided to them.
Inmates who are above 45 years of age have been provided with the first dose of the vaccine, an official from the district prison said.