Centre asks states to follow K’taka model on pandemic

Centre asks states to follow K’taka model on pandemic

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

New Delhi:  20.06.2020

The Centre has asked all states to replicate the best practices implemented by Karnataka, including comprehensive contact-tracing of Covid-19 cases and physical or phone-based household survey for better management of the coronavirus pandemic.

Highlighting the two initiatives taken by Karnataka, the health ministry said the state has developed the ‘whole of government’ approach with the involvement of multi-sectoral agencies, supported by technology-based solutions and interventions.

They effectively trace and track each case thereby successfully containing the spread of the pandemic, the ministry said. The Centre has asked other states to adapt these best practices to their local context and replicate them for better management of the pandemic.

Karnataka has so far reported 114 deaths and 7,944 cases.

Karnataka has widened the definition of ‘contact’ to include both high-risk as well as low-risk contacts as defined by the central government. The number of primary and secondary contacts in Karnataka were meticulously traced and put under strict quarantine. More than 10,000 well-trained field staff carried out specific responsibilities for contact- tracing as per the detailed SOPs designed by the state which prescribes step-by-step actions to be performed by each designated person.

Contact-tracing mobile App and web applications are being used to overcome the huge quantum of work, genuine forgetfulness of Covidpositive persons and attempts to hide facts due to various reasons, the ministry said in a statement.

Karnataka has widened the definition of ‘contact’ to include both high-risk as well as low-risk contacts as defined by the central government