Karnataka: All patients coming to hospitals must be tested for Covid: Nitesh Patil

DHARWAD: Deputy commissioner Nitesh Patil has said that the district administration has made it mandatory for all the patients visiting private and government hospitals to have their swab samples tested for Covid-19.

The private hospitals have to collect the swab sample of patients who cannot afford to pay the fees, and send it to KIMS or DIMHANS, and the test will be conducted free-of-cost, he added.

Speaking while chairing a meeting of private doctors held at his office in Dharwad on Friday, Patil said that poor patients should not be deprived of testing and medical treatment at private hospitals, hence the government has decided to test them free-of-cost.

There is a need for early detection and timely treatment to contain the spread of this disease, he said, and sought the support of private hospitals. The patients visiting private hospitals as outpatients or who are admitted, should provide his domicile address and contact number. Patients from other districts too can be admitted in the hospitals here, but they should be registered in their respective districts, he said.

Antibiogram should be conducted on all those availing treatment at ICUs, and the near and dear ones of those testing positive for the novel coronavirus should compulsorily be tested, Nitesh said.

The deputy commissioner also said that if any private hospital requires oxygen, KIMS will provide hi-flow oxygen. They should contact Dr S M Honkeri who is the nodal officer to supply oxygen, he said.