Dakshina Kannada district administration has taken up an intensive survey to identify persons with co-morbid conditions to monitor their health and to ensure that such patients took precautionary measures not to get infected with COVID-19. As many as 906 teams are being involved in this exercise.
The survey is being held in such clusters where high number of COVID-19 cases are being reported.
The survey will cover 2.61 lakh households in the district. It is now under way in Bantwal, Puttur, Belthangady and Sullia taluks and will start shortly in areas covered by Mangaluru City Corporation, after some teething problems are addressed, according to District COVID-19 Nodal Officer H. Ashok. Each team, comprising an anganwadi worker and an accredited social health activist (ASHA), is visiting 40 houses.
Apart from looking at those with cancer, diabetes, breathing problems and other co-morbidities, these teams are finding out how many of them have fever. Using the pulse oxymeter given to each team, the oxygen saturation level is being measured.
Those found with below 90 % saturation level are enlisted and being referred to the nearby primary health centres for follow-up. All measures are being taken to ensure the safety of the members involved in the survey, he said.
While 224 teams with 75 supervisors are doing the survey in Bantwal, 225 teams and 74 supervisors are involved in it in Belthangady.
There are 169 teams and 56 supervisors in Puttur taluk and 72 teams and 24 supervisors in Sullia. The district administration has planned to depute 216 teams in Mangaluru City Corporation areas.
“As there is shortage of volunteers, we are trying to take the services of NCC cadets and volunteers from NSS, Indian Red Cross and other social organisations,” Dr. Ashok said.
