PUDUCHERRY: Puducherry Health department has introduced ‘doctor on wheels’, an initiative for the care of the large number of home quarantined Covid-19 patients in Puducherry.
With increasing cases of COVID-19 infection and a good proportion of positive patients being advised home quarantined, the health needs of such patients cannot be neglected and have to be given due importance. To meet all such needs Puducherry Health Department has introduced help via 104 helpline number.
When home quarantined patient calls 104 helpline number with any distress. Instead of giving medical advice over the phone, now a medical team is being sent to their door step and patient's health status is being accessed and treated there itself. If needed patient is shifted to hospital for further management with the help of ambulance, Health Secretary Dr T Arun said in a statement .
At present, out of 17340 active cases, 15,228 Covid-19 patients are in home isolation.
Also by early assessment and timely medical help, patient's health status is prevented from deteriorating, added Arun.
Apart from Medical help to positive patients, when a person tests positive, another team of doctors comprising of final year medical students, ANM and ASHA workers are available at door step to access the health of positive patients and triage the patient for home quarantine or patient needing hospital help and thereafter directed accordingly, he explained.
Dr. T Arun has requested people to avail these facilities through helpline number 104 and also to stay home and stay safe to help containing this COVID-19 pandemic.