E-training becomes Karnataka health university’s mantra for Covid-19 battle

The Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences – the main university for medical education in Karnataka – has over the last five weeks directly trained over 25,000 workers from the healthcare services and allied sectors to prepare for a Covid-19 outbreak.




While government and private hospitals in Karnataka have been put in Covid-19 mode to take on a large scale outbreak of the coronavirus with the allocation of over 5,000 beds for treating patients, the medical education system in the state is now conducting large scale online training of health professionals as part of a Covid-19 preparedness strategy.

The Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences – the main university for medical education in Karnataka – has over the last five weeks directly trained over 25,000 workers from the healthcare services and allied sectors to prepare for a Covid-19 outbreak.

“We have enrolled different experts for different topics. There are epidemiologists, clinicians, public health experts, pulmonologists, intensivists, psychiatrists and others are conducting the online training programs. We have reached 25,000 people directly and 40,000 indirectly through social media,” RGUHS vice chancellor Prof. S Sachidanand said.

Follow Coronavirus LIVE Updates

The online training conducted through the Cisco Webex system has so far directly trained medical students, nurses, doctors, physiotherapists, staff at private medical colleges, pharmacists as well as attendants and cleaning staff at hospitals, according to RGUHS officials.

“All the training must be in tune with the guidelines and SOPs of the World Health Organization, the Indian Council of Medical Research and the Government of India,” Prof Sachidanand said. “We use online training in a limited way normally in the university system but the Covid-19 situation has given us this opportunity to use online technologies to impart training in a big,” the RGUHS vice-chancellor said.

“With the lockdown it is very difficult to reach out physically to people and it has to be an online platform and we are making the best use of it. We are now looking at training gynaecologists, ophthalmologists and even the police,” he said.

“We have reached out to private doctors, private medical colleges. We are trying to touch every sector in healthcare to ensure that they are prepared mentally for chipping in if the necessity arises. This sort of training is unprecedented in the state,” the RGUHS VC said.

“We are expecting a surge to happen and a large number of activities need to be planned in advance,” he said.

Don’t miss these articles on Coronavirus from the Explained section:

How coronavirus attacks, step by step

Mask or no mask? Why the guidance has been shifting

Besides a face cover, should I wear gloves when I go outdoors?

How the Agra, Bhilwara and Pathanamthitta Covid-19 containment models differ

Can coronavirus damage your brain?

? The Indian Express is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel (@indianexpress) and stay updated with the latest headlines

For all the latest Bangalore News, download Indian Express App.

Source: Read Full Article