Bengaluru: In all, 7,000 medical students studying in various courses will be roped in to provide tele-consultation services to those who undergo home isolation after testing positive for COVID-19, said Deputy Chief Minister and Chairman of  State COVID Task Force Dr. C.N. Ashwathnarayan.

Informing this after a meeting with Senior IAS Officer Pankaj Kumar Pandey, who is in charge of home isolation and other officials, he said the process to rope in 7,000 students has been already initiated and 4,000 have registered. They have been trained to provide tele-medicine service. 

At present 700 are already working and it will be made mandatory for the remaining to appear for the required service.  “Better service could be given if medical students provide consultations rather than this being done by personnel of call centres,” he said.

The Dy.CM said he has discussed with Rajendra Cholan, BBMP Special Commissioner (Health), about strengthening the Labs. In Malleshwaram, the results are being given within 24 hours and the same needs to be expanded to the entire State, he noted.

Stating that measures will be taken to set up more Step Down Hospitals, he directed the officials to shift patients to Step Down Hospitals after 5 days of treatment.