Covid-19: Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences collaborates with ARTIST to strengthen capabilities & preparedness of healthcare workers across Karnataka
- 20-day programme to cover all hospitals through the Karnataka State Obstetrics and Gynecology Association
Mangaluru: With Covid-19 emerging as a major health scare, the Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences has collaborated with the Bengaluru-based ARTIST (Asian Research & Training Institute for Skill Transfer) to strengthen the preparedness of healthcare workers, including Obstetricians, Gynaecologists, Nursing Staff and Paramedical Staff engaged in maternal and child healthcare across Karnataka.
The high-intensity training programme (90-minute module) is being implemented through the Karnataka State Obstetrics and Gynecology Association in the state. It covers all aspects related to government and private hospitals, starting from the screening of patients and visitors at the entrance, organising segregation of symptomatic patients, cleaning protocols, rationale use of PPE, protocols for disinfection and reuse, standard operating procedures for labour room and operation theatre, management in the wards, discharge and follow-up summary, appointment schedule and telecommunications are covered through a video demonstration.
Speaking about the collaboration, Dr Sacchidanand, Vice-Chancellor, Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences, said, “All hospitals must follow Covid-19 protocol-based recommended practices and this programme is aimed at training the healthcare workers across the state. The training material developed by ARTIST is in-line with the guidelines issued by the Government of India, Government of Karnataka, Indian Council for Medical Research and WHO. This training programme will go a long way in creating awareness among healthcare workers, improving the preparedness of the hospitals apart from boosting the employees’ confidence.”
Online training courses are being conducted every day in batches by the ARTIST team, led by healthcare leader and well-known gynaecologist Dr Hema Divakar. She said, “It is a fact that Covid-19 has had an unimaginable impact on various sectors, including healthcare. There is a dire need for all of us to be well-prepared. However, not all healthcare workers are aware of Covid-19 protocol-based recommended practices in antenatal care, safe delivery, newborn care, immunization and hospital maintenance. Therefore, we have launched this programme for effective knowledge sharing and skill transfer to Obstetricians, Gynaecologists, Nursing Staff, Paramedical Staff and Housekeeping Staff engaged in maternal and child healthcare.”
In Karnataka, the training is being cascaded through the Karnataka State Obstetrics and Gynecology Association (KSOGA), which has 20 chapters. Daily training schedules are shared with preselected hospitals from Karnataka and other states with staff connecting via video conferencing. So far, training has been completed for healthcare workers in Vijayapura, Belagavi, Hubli, Dharwad, Hassan, Channarayapattana, Gadag, Koppala, Kalburgi and Mandya. Over the next 12 days, healthcare workers from Bagalkote, Udupi, Ballari, Mangaluru, Chikkamagaluru, Mysuru, Bengaluru, Chitradurga, Tumakuru, Raichur, Shivamogga, Davanagere and Bidar districts will be covered.
KSOGA President Dr Shobana Patted pointed out, “We are overwhelmed with the response that we received from our chapters and hospitals across Karnataka for this programme. We are mobilising participation from every hospital to ensure that this programme becomes successful. We received good feedback from our participants. We expect this to have a cascading effect in the sector,”
Pointing out that the training is focused and demands the full attention of the participants, Dr Hema, who is also the Vice-Chair of PNCDC (Pregnancy & Non-Communicable Diseases Committee) – FIGO (International Federation of Gynecology & Obstetrics)and National Convenor for MANYATA, a quality improvement initiative through FOGSI (Federation of Obstetric & Gynecological Societies of India), said, “We ensure that they implement the practices without any error, as we make them demonstrate what they learnt, at the end of the session and through video bytes over a week.”
ARTIST is conducting training for healthcare workers in other states like Maharashtra, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh to help them to be prepared in their hospitals for safe deliveries through MANYATA training. ARTIST is now adding the COVID PREPAREDNESS module to support the hospitals in resetting and restarting their practices.
For more information, please contact:
Dr Hema Divakar
CEO & Chairperson, ARTIST, India
Technical advisor to the ministry of health and family welfare
IDF (International Diabetes Federation) spokeswoman for South-East Asia
Co-Chair of NCD Committee FIGO
M: 9844046724,
Email: drhemadivakar@gmail.com
