Doctors’ rural visit becomes a success in Udupi

Udupi, June 12, 2021: ‘Vaidyara Nade Halliya Kade,’ (Doctors’ March towards the village) program proved to be a success in Udupi district.

With rural areas witnessing a steep increase in Covid cases, the state government had initiated the ‘Vaidyara Nade Halli Kade,’ program. Instead of asking the people to go to the Hospitals and PHCs for Covid testing, the team of doctors conduct Covid testing at the doorsteps.

While many people prefer not to go to the PHCs or hospitals for testing, the doctors make them realize the importance of testing during the visit. As a result, the fear of testing is removed from the mind of the villagers.

‘Vaidyara Nade Halliya Kade,’ has helped the district administration in its fight against Covid. The number of testing has increased in villages.

“Not only the symptomatic but even the contacts of the Covid patients are tested at the doorstep and Covid positives are identified at the initial stage. This has helped in controlling the spread to a greater extent. The team visiting villages takes a quick decision on shifting the patient to hospital or CCC,” Udupi DC G Jagadeesh said.

Each team comprises Doctors, swab collectors, members of rural Covid taskforce, Asha and Anganwadi workers. They visit the villages allocated to them and conducts the Covid test (Rapid Antigen Test) at the doorstep. If there is a need they visit a village more than once.

There are 73 teams in Udupi district and each team has been provided vehicles and necessary testing kits.

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The data:
Tams visited villages 1,174 times and screened 34,719 people. Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) and RT-PCR test were conducted on 18,105 people and 754 were found positive. The teams shifted 136 patients to Covid Care Centres (CCC) and 30 to Covid hospitals.