Mobile fever clinics take COVID-19 test to people's doorstep at a price

The KSRTC’s old buses have been transformed to erase the last mile gap between citizens and fever clinics that have formed the frontline of the administration in its fight against COVID-19. However, unlike government hospitals, those with symptoms have to pay Rs 3,750 to get a test done.

Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa on Monday flagged off the KSRTC bus converted into a Mobile Fever Clinic. The bus is divided into two zones of beds and a consultation area with hygiene conditions.

Four Mobile Bus Clinics will be deployed across Bengaluru, each of them with a team consisting of a doctor, three nurses, and one lab technician with several volunteers facilitating the process. A swab collection facility also included in the said bus.

The team will be starting from red zones and will try to screen the maximum number of residents from these zones for symptoms and quarantine the ones who test positive.

At the mobile clinic, people can avail of free tests for glucose and blood pressure levels. The swab of those with symptoms will be collected immediately for COVID-19 testing by Biognosys Technologies, authorised by ICMR, at a discounted cost of Rs 3,750, the KSRTC said.

“Residents also have the option to do blood tests (CBC, ESR, CRP) with SRL labs for a discounted price of Rs 300,” the corporation said.

The information about any person testing positive for the Coronavirus will be shared with the government. The clinics have been built with assistance from Housejoy, a private company, Bangalore South MP Tejasvi Surya, and ACT Covid-19 Fund.