Medical emergencies from Kasaragod to be let into Karnataka, subject to conditions

In compliance with the Supreme Court order on Tuesday to allow medical emergencies from Kasaragod district in Kerala entry through Talapady on NH 66 for treatment in Mangaluru hospitals, the Dakshina Kannada district administration said such cases would be allowed in, subject to certain conditions.

Deputy Commissioner Sindhu B. Rupesh said in an order that an emergency meeting of the district-level COVID-19 monitoring committee had been held along with members of Indian Medical Association, Mangaluru branch.

Only patients in need of emergency treatment and road accident victims will be allowed entry into Dakshina Kannada, and that too only in Kerala government ambulances. The government medical officer of Kasaragod has to certify that the person is not a COVID-19 patient and that the treatment required is not available in Kasaragod.

The ambulance bringing in the patient has to be sanitised in accordance with the guidelines issued by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. Along with the patient, only one attendant, one paramedic and the driver will be allowed entry.

The administration has deployed a medical team at the Talapady border. The team will check the ambulance, the patient, and the documents before allowing the vehicle entry. A checklist, along with the guidelines, has already been sent to the Kasaragod District Collector, the DC said.

The apex court on Tuesday disposed of a batch of petitions on the issue of entry of medical emergency cases from Kerala/Kasaragod to Dakshina Kannada/Mangaluru, after the Union government informed the court that the State governments had arrived at a consensus on the matter.