To fill the gap of inadequate rate of testing, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) is planning to conduct 10,000 rapid antigen tests and 10,000 reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) tests a day.
The decision was taken at a meeting of the BBMP Task Force on COVID-19 that was held earlier this week where “various actionable solutions”, such as laboratory services, home isolation and the dearth of ICU beds, were discussed.
According to the Task Force, lack of manpower, delay in testing and reporting, and overburdening of labs in the city by samples referred from other districts are the main problems as far as laboratory services are concerned.
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To solve such problems, the BBMP has decided to increase testing rate at the Urban Primary Health Centre (UPHC) level and community level with increased mobile testing units. According to sources, it was decided that four or five swab collection centres will be established in each ward. “There should also be a reduction in the number of referred samples from other districts,” said an official.
The BBMP has decided to use tele-medicine and tele-doctor facilities to manage patients at COVID-19 Care Centres (CCCs), and create a web portal for tele-medicine consultation for those in home isolation.
“Medical and paramedical graduates, interns and post-graduates are to be actively involved in both clinical and field work. Medical and paramedical interns and PG students should consider volunteering for COVID-19 at healthcare centres as a part of their curriculum and work experience. This initiative is also aimed at relieving the overburdened field staff,” according to sources.
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Existing oxygen beds will be upgraded to high-flow oxygen beds.
42 doctors recruited
The BBMP has appointed 42 doctors and 16 other staff, including nurses, pharmacists and lab technicians, on a six-month contract. They will be working at zonal levels.