Mangalore: The state government has donated 25,800 Rapid Antigen Test Kit to Dakshina Kannada district for a quick check of Covid, said Kota Srinivasa Poojary, minister in charge of the district.
"RT-PCR lab at Wenlock will open and conduct a free Covid-19 test. There are 66 primary health centers in the district and 12 urban primary health centers in urban areas. Free covid test is conducted by 78 Primary Health Centres in the district. Free Covid Test is being conducted at Sullya, Puttur, Belthangady and Bantwal Hospital, including District 6 Community Hospital. More than 8000 tests have already been conducted by the Rapid Test Kit, of which 600 have been positive.
"Covid patients are being treated at a total of 23 private hospitals including 8 Medical College in Dakshina Kannada. 9 of these hospitals are being provided free of charge under the government-funded Ayushman Bharat scheme. All other hospitals have to pay the current treatment costs. All private hospitals with more than 20 beds have been instructed to register under the AYUSHMAN INDIA scheme. The minister said that the process would be completed within a week and till then the public should carefully be admitted to the hospitals which is under AYUSHMAN INDIA scheme."
"When people are tested in a private hospital, they should be advised of a home quarantine, if they have Covid positive and have no symptoms of infection, they are not admitted to the hospital. If there are no arrangement to become a quarantine at home, they should be sent to covid care centers."
"He asked the authorities to provide details of ventilators and high flow oxygen beds available at various government hospitals in the district.
At Wenlock currently 48 ventilators are in operation, 38 ventilators are in arrears, they will be installed quickly and an additional 15 ventilators will be in place. Wenlock has 210 high-flow oxygen beds, 50 high-flow oxygen beds in each taluk hospital and 30 high-flow oxygen beds in community hospitals," he said.
The minister said that the district health and family welfare officer has been asked to take steps against hospitals about which complaints of excessive bills are received.