Must Read

Kerala emerges as a roll model for COVID-19 management?

By IndianMandarins- 05 Apr 2020
895

kerala-emerges-as-a-roll-model-for-covid-19-management-

Spike in the COVID-19 cases in states like Tamil Nadu, Delhi and Maharashtra between March 30 and April 04 have set the alarm bell ringing in the country. But among all other states, Kerala stands tall with its quick and robust preparedness that it is being dubbed as Kerala Model of COVID-19 Management. Why and how?

The number of increased cases between March 30 and April 04: Maharashtra from 221 to 423, Delhi from 95 to 386, Tamil Nadu from 72 to 411, Karnataka from 91 to 128, Gujarat from 76 to 95, Kerala from 221 to 295. After exhibiting its health management and administrative acumen in handling deadly Nipah Virus and Zica Virus, Kerala is being praised for its COVID-19 management.

Kerala was the first few states hit by COVID-19 but it has somehow managed to arrest its growth that fast as on March 30 there were 222 confirmed cases but by April 04 the number has increased to 295. The declining rate of growth was surprising especially in the backdrop of rapidly increasing cases in the rest of the country. Several states registered an increase in the number of COVID-19 cases from twice to six times between March 30 and April 04.

The first case of CIVID-19 appeared in Kerala on January 30, 2020 but the state government was quick enough to set up a control-room on January 26. It also constituted committees for quarantine, isolation and contact of COVID-19 patients.

Despite all three patients getting cured in February, 2020, the state government continued with its effort and never lost sight from its preparedness. In terms of COVID-19 tests, Kerala is far ahead of other states. Till March 3 approximately 66,000 tests have been conducted of which 10,000 tests alone were conducted in Kerala that is over 15%. Kerala became the first state to procure a Rapid-PCR kit from a private lab based in Pune.

Kerala initiated its ‘break the chain’ campaign to motivate people to wash their hands and installed wash-basins in public places. All airports have been directly linked to emergency services of hospitals so that travelers with fever and cough symptoms could be immediately rushed to hospitals. SOPs and protocols of blood donation were made stringent and persons who visited foreign countries recently were stopped from donating blood. Entry points connecting one state from the other state have been equipped with thermal scanning and have been made aware of threats of COVID-19.

The most important decision has been the closure of temples, flow-chart of contacts of COVID-19 patients and launch of Geo-fencing Application is quick successions made Kerala an example for other states for better management checking the spread of COVID-19. It may be underlined that the Kerala Health Minister is praised nationwide for her quick decisions in advance. Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat and Karnataka too have shown better management to check the spread of COVID-19 cases.

(By Rakesh Ranjan)


free stat counter