Medical Education Minister K. Sudhakar on Wednesday took four medical colleges in Dakshina Kannada district to task for their failure to set up COVID-19 laboratories as mandated by the Medical Council of India and the Indian Council of Medical Research. Colleges failing to establish such laboratories within 10 days would have to face action, Dr. Sudhakar said, while pointing out the department has already issued orders to them.
Of the eight colleges, A.J. Institute of Medical Sciences and Research Centre, Kanachur Institute of Medical Sciences, Srinivas Institute of Medical Sciences and Research, all in Mangaluru, and KVG Medical College and Hospital, Sullia, are yet to set up laboratories.
Dr. Sudhakar said that errant colleges would face a range of disciplinary action, including suspension of licence, withholding of postgraduate admissions. Reminding the colleges that it was their moral and legal obligation to set up laboratories, the Minister said that the laboratories to be set up should be able to conduct 300 to 500 tests per day in three shifts. Experts from NIMHANS would impart necessary training to those designated to operate the laboratories.
Dr. Sudhakar also said that the State has set up a tele-ICU, a centralised system for the entire State, with uniform treatment protocol. With a senior IAS officer being the nodal officer, the tele-ICU would have six expert doctors from the government and private sector. Treatment of people in ICU would be monitored centrally at an off-site command centre.