Mobile clinics come to the rescue of patients in Hassan

The Health and Family Welfare Department has introduced mobile clinics in Hassan city in the wake of private doctors’ strike. 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 the patients, who have come to private hospitals looking for doctors. “We have deployed the clinics near the private medical establishments so that we can treat people who are approaching private hospitals. The staff attached to the clinic go around and if any patient is found unattended in private hospitals he or she is brought to the mobile clinic,” said R. Venkatesh, District Health Officer.

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 afternoon on Friday.

Savithrama, a resident of Kelagundi in Arasikere taluk, with blocked urine flow was brought to a private hospital in Hassan on Friday afternoon. As the out patient department at the private hospital was closed, the mobile clinic nearby came to her rescue. The DHO and Dr. Indu of the mobile clinic attended to her and shifted her immediately to Hassan Institute of Medical Sciences as she required emergency medical care. “The mobile unit is equipped with sufficient staff, medicine and laboratory equipment. We conduct basic tests to know sugar level, blood pressure, malaria here itself,” Dr. Indu said.

Following the protest by private medical practitioners, the patients are finding it difficult to get basic tests done. “We conduct blood tests as private laboratories. As clinics are closed, the public are coming to our clinic to conduct tests,” said Dr. Rakshith.

The units will be functioning as long as the private hospitals remain closed. “We are attending to the patients in the clinic and those that require extra care and admission will be shifted to the HIMS or the nearest government hospital,” said Dr. H.L. Janardana, RCH Officer.