District Administration aims big
Mysore/Mysuru: The District Administration has set a target of making Mysuru COVID-free by July 1. Incidentally, July 1 is observed as Doctors’ Day. “Though it is not easy, we are committed,” said Deputy Commissioner Rohini Sindhuri.
In a press note released to the media last evening where she highlighted that Mysuru has achieved one of the lowest Case Fatality Rate (CFR – death per 100 COVID patients) despite reporting the second highest COVID positive cases in Karnataka, after Bengaluru, the DC said that people must observe self-restraint.
Mysuru, with highest positivity rate of 41.32 percent active cases of about 16,000, has one of the lowest CFR. “Please join hands with the District Administration and show a little respect to frontline warriors and doctors who are struggling to bring the pandemic under control,” she said.
Enumerating the reasons behind the low CFR, Rohini Sindhuri said that the district has the highest vaccination percentage in entire Karnataka. “Rigorous Information, Education and Communication (IEC) when there was vaccine hesitancy since Apr. 1 and mobilising of people in the district has helped us now. We have saturated to the maximum in vaccination (45 plus category) about 75 percent in rural areas and urban at 65 percent,” she said.
Secondly, early intervention through COVID Mitra has helped in bringing down the deaths. “First started in all taluks and subsequently in all urban PHCs (Primary Health Centres) in city, this initiative of early screening, with focus on triaging has been a significant milestone in Mysuru’s march against COVID. So far, over 25,000 people have been triaged in all COVID Mitras with the maximum triage in rural PHCs. Coupled with this is the IEC campaign with first five days Pancha Sutra has helped us put the message across,” the DC explained.
Thirdly, a thorough and detailed daily death audit of all cases since April has helped in shaping the strategy. All the actions have stemmed out of coordinated efforts amongst all departments and daily feedback and communication to the last mile through rigorous IEC campaigning in the hinterlands, Rohini Sindhuri said.
Decisive steps by District Disaster Management Authority
- Since mid-March, when there was a slight increase in cases, mass RT-PCR tests for people travelling from Bengaluru was implemented and also, vaccination was mobilised in huge numbers
- Introduction of early screening through COVID Mitras
- Introduction of Helpline 2424111 (Over 20,000 calls attended till date)
- Creation of War Room for coordinated efforts and efficiently handling bed management
- Adding 600 (oxygenated and ICU beds) in PKTB, Trauma Care, ESI and K.R. Hospital (stone building)
- Strict vigil on Private Hospitals
- Raising Rs. 21.5 crore through Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)
- Tele-triaging
- Launching door-to-door survey and this will be completed by this month end
- Introduction of COVID-free village and ward award and PHC awards for taluks for community participation
- Engaging the community through Village-Level Task Force (VLTF), Gram Panchayat Task Force (GPTF) and Ward-Level Task Force (WLTF)
- Focus on eradicating mucormycosis (Black Fungus) cases, announcing a de-worming day and screening people for diabetes and tracking them
Lowest Case Fatality Rate due to:
- Highest vaccination percentage
- Early intervention through COVID Mitra
- A thorough and detailed daily death audit of all cases since April
Stress on ‘3Ts’
The last wave peaked in October when I was posted as DC to Mysuru and back then our focus was on Test, Track, Treat (3Ts) and by following this strategy the cases flattened (the largest single day number was less than 1,000) at that time. — Rohini Sindhuri, Deputy Commissioner Mysuru
RTPCR tests are expensive. In Private hospitals they are charging 1200 Rs plus. In Govt hospitals there is a huge queue. Unless the Government resolves this problem, people with minor sniffles and warm bodies wont get tested. In any case, before you try testing anyone, they would have spread the disease to others. And that is why you cannot get rid of Covid19. That is why the Government should stop thinking it can stop Covid and accept it as a reality. Its as much a reality as common cold is. Decades of modern medicine and vaccines have not been able to get rid of common cold. How can they get rid of Covid? Accept it, make people fit and when you get disease treat it correctly without attaching any stigma to the person who has it. They covid will become the common cold that it should be.
RTPCR tests are expensive. In Private hospitals they are charging 1200 Rs plus. In Govt hospitals there is a huge queue. Unless the Government resolves this problem, people with minor sniffles and warm bodies wont get tested. In any case, before you try testing anyone, they would have spread the disease to others. And that is why you cannot get rid of Covid19. That is why the Government should stop thinking it can stop Covid and accept it as a reality. Its as much a reality as common cold is. Decades of modern medicine and vaccines have not been able to get rid of common cold. How can they get rid of Covid? Accept it, make people fit and when you get disease treat it correctly without attaching any stigma to the person who has it. Then covid will become the common cold that it should be.