Around 9 lakh people get training in Covid prevention

M K Sunil Kumar | TNN | Updated: Apr 8, 2020, 16:35 IST

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KOCHI: Creating awareness among those at the forefront of the fight against Covid-19 on how to handle the situations they face daily is key to curbing spread of the disease. Keeping this in mind, the health department has given training to close to 9 lakh people, including doctors, nurses, other health staff, ambulance drivers, attenders, bank officers, police, volunteers, students, Kudumbashree and Asha workers.
The training focused on how to protect themselves as well as those associated with them while dealing with the general public. Police, bank officials, healthcare staff, ambulance drivers, etc, are more prone to contract the disease easily if they don't adhere strictly to the protocol.
"In the first phase in February, 7.48 lakh people, including 4.87 lakh students, were imparted awareness on how to avoid getting the disease. In the second phase which started after March 15, we imparted training to doctors, nursing staff, bank officials, cops, etc. Now, the focus is on patient management," said Dr K S Shinu, executive director, executive director, Kerala Health Systems Resource Centre.
The massive training is being imparted through videoconferencing. "In the first phase we had given training to those running beauty parlours, banks, shopkeepers etc also. Now, we are giving training to mainly health staff, bank officials, cops etc," said Dr Vidya, district surveillance officer, Alappuzha. "The government has issued separate advisories on how to give training to people in different sectors. Bank officials, for example, are given training on handling currency, how to interact with customers, etc," she said.
Now that the measures to create awareness among the public regarding checking the spread of Covid-19 is almost complete, the health department officials are planning to focus on giving training to medical staff on patient management. "We had already given training to doctors, nurses and paramedical staff on patient management. Now, doctors with a private hospital in Thiruvananthapuram will impart hands-on training to staff of various hospitals regarding patient management in intensive care units," said an official.
"Training is given to doctors, nurses and paramedical staff on how to wear personal protective equipment (PPE) and remove them safely. We are also identifying gaps in the programme and filling them," the official said.
Officials associated with the project said that training will be given to staff of more private hospitals. "We had already given training to the staff of some private hospitals. Now, staff in more private hospitals will be given training in patient management. Once the positive cases rise, the facilities with the government hospitals alone may not be enough. Private hospitals may also have to be roped-in for treatment," the official said.