Government Health Scheme under National Health Mission

• Special 20-bed ward ready at District Hospital on KRS Road
• Call 104 to avail free medical help, vehicles to shift patients

Mysore/Mysuru: In probably the biggest single free healthcare initiative after the COVID-19 pandemic by the District Health and Family Welfare Department, a Government scheme has been launched to make free medical care available at the doorsteps of people in need, especially senior citizens, terminally ill patients and those who are in the sunset of their lives.

The strategy is to unveil a clutch of user-friendly medical services where healthcare is taken to the doorsteps of the people. Starting with ‘Call 104’, shifting patients to care centres and establishing a 20-bed ward at District Hospital, the initiative under National Health Mission (NHM) is aimed at providing comfort to the patients and their caretakers at home.

Rs. 20 lakh has been spent on setting up the 20-bedded ward at the District Hospital on  KRS Road and tomorrow, a vehicle will be handed over to the medical care team to shift the patients in need to the ward from the doorsteps, District Health Officer (DHO) Dr. K.H. Prasad, who is also the Chairman of NHM in Mysuru, told Star of Mysore.

Over 12 Health Department staff including doctors, nurses, physiotherapists and support staff will visit homes to give medical advice to patients who are in need and who are critically ill. If need be, the patients will be shifted to the District Hospital ward and will be taken care of there, he added.

Long-term care

“Full-fledged work across Mysuru District will begin from Sept. 15 (tomorrow) and we have made all preparations. Funds have been obtained from the NHM. We are focussing on patients who have developed bed sores, stroke, non-healing ulcers, cancer patients and postoperative critical care patients. Caring for these patients will be difficult at homes and we will take care of them at the District Hospital,” DHO added.

In fact, the 20-bed ward was opened last year and there was no response and as such, the Health Department is taking the initiative to bring patients from their doorsteps. The lack of response to the facility is due to the fact that the District Hospital was a designated COVID Hospital for over two years and people were scared to come anywhere near it. Also, many people still think that the K.R. Hospital is the District Hospital. This is due to a lack of information, sources said.

Patients in need of care or their relatives can call ‘104’ and help will be rushed. It will be similar to the 108 ambulance services and the helpline number for medical consultation will be 104. Upon receipt of a call, the phone attendant will note down the details and then will be passed on to the medical care team. If there is a need, professionals will visit homes to give medical advice and also shift the needy to the District Hospital.