The Health and Family Welfare Department has introduced mobile clinics in Hassan city in the wake of the strike by private doctors. Two mobile clinics, which were allotted to the district under the National Health Mission, have been deployed on Shankar Mutt Road and Sampige Road — where most of the private nursing homes and hospitals are located. Earlier, these units were functioning in rural areas of Sakaleshpur and Belur taluks.
The mobile clinics with one doctor and five support staff each have been treating patients. “We have deployed the clinics near private medical establishments so that those who approach private hospitals are treated. The staff attached to the clinic go around and if any patient is found unattended to in private hospitals he or she is brought to the mobile clinic,” R. Venkatesh, District Health Officer, said. The mobile clinic service began in the city on Thursday afternoon. Till late in the evening, the unit treated 45 patients. More than 20 were treated by Friday afternoon.
“The mobile unit is equipped with sufficient staff, medicine, and laboratory equipment. We conduct basic tests to know sugar level, blood pressure, and malaria here itself,” Dr. Indu of a mobile clinic said.
“We conduct blood tests. As clinics are closed, the public are coming to our clinic to conduct tests,” Dr. Rakshith said.
The units will be functioning as long as the private hospitals remain closed. “We are attending to the patients in the clinic and those require who extra care and admission will be shifted to HIMS or the nearest government hospital,” Dr. H.L. Janardana, RCH Officer, said.