Karnataka prepares for third wave of Covid: Training doctors and health check-ups for kids

Bengaluru: On Wednesday, many doctors and paediatricians in Bengaluru started special training sessions on managing Covid-19 children. In the meantime, chief minister BS Yediyurappa directed Anganwadi workers across the state to get ready to battle the third wave of the pandemic.

As part of the preparations for the third wave, Karnataka is focusing on those below 18 years of age who are not vaccinated. The state is setting up pediatric wards in all district hospitals and announcing a health check-up for children for the next three months. The CM said, “It has been suggested that the third wave of the Covid pandemic will affect children the most. It is essential that we identify children who are malnourished and are affected by any ailment. Anganwadi workers must be in constant touch with the health department and must strive to combat the pandemic.”

The health check-ups for children are to start from the last week of June for three months.

Home and Law Minister Basavaraj Bommai said that such drives will start from June 25 and the aim is to mitigate malnutrition and improve immunity among children.

The training session for doctors in Bengaluru has been arranged by the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP).

Revenue Minister R Ashoka said, “Bengaluru alone has 25 lakh children and their good health is important to all of us. Doctors from government and private hospitals are attending the training session. As children aged below five years would require a parent’s presence next to them, we have decided to allow them in ICU or paediatrics wards. These doctors are also being trained how to ensure the parents can stay without getting infected.” He also said that the training sessions will be expanded to other districts as well in the coming days.

BBMP chief commissioner Gaurav Gupta said that the workshop will provide hands-on training to MBBS doctors on operating ventilators, NIV, CPAB, BIPAP devices, managing shock, providing CPR, and oxygen delivery among other specifics. He said, “Eminent faculty including senior and experienced paediatricians, paediatric pulmonologists, and intensivists have been roped in to offer the training.”

The BBMP officials said that 60 doctors are attending the session physically while others are directed to join the same online and get trained at their respective workplaces.

In the meantime, Health and Medical Education Minister K Sudhakar said that paediatric wards are being set up across all districts and talk level hospitals. He said, “A dedicated 70-80 bed paediatrics ward will be arranged in all district hospitals. Additional paediatricians and nursing staff will also be recruited wherever it is necessary.”

As per the Karnataka State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (KSCPCR), around 36 to 40npercen of the entire population in the state is 18 or below. KSCPCR chairman Fr Anthony Sebastian said, “With minimal chances of people aged below 18 getting inoculated before October, they will continue to be the most vulnerable.”

Till now, more than 2.88 lakh people aged 19 and below have been Covid positive across the state out of which 143 have lost their lives due to the same.

Experts are yet to come to a conclusion if the third wave will infect children more. Dr Vishal Rao, Dean, Centre of Academic Research, HCG Cancer Hospital, said, “The conjecture comes from the fact that currently with vaccination covering all age groups above 18 years, the only vulnerable population would be children. Nonetheless, all those who haven’t been vaccinated or partially vaccinated would still be vulnerable.”

However, K Sudhakar said, “Although it has been predicted that next wave might impact children predominantly, there is no such evidence from other countries which have already undergone the third wave.”

He also mentioned All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) director, Dr Randeep Guleria’s statement that there was no proof to substantiate such claims. Sudhakar said, “Dr Guleria has noted that 60 to 70 per cent of the children, who got infected and were admitted to hospitals during the second wave in India, had either co-morbidities or low immunity. Healthy children were found to have recovered with mild illness without the need to get hospitalised. However, we are ensuring preparedness to protect our children.”