‘Focus to be on children who have comorbidities’: BMC to start door-to-door monitoring

Health officials have been told to follow ICMR guidelines for childcare

With the second wave of the pandemic slowly loosening its grip on the city, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is now gearing up to spread awareness about an anticipated third wave through a door-to-door campaign. As it is being speculated that the next wave of infections might affect children the most, the BMC has instructed its ward officials and health workers to conduct door-to-door health check-ups of kids.

It is being speculated that the third wave might affect children the most. Representation pic

Speaking to mid-day, Suresh Kakani, additional municipal commissioner, said, "There is a possibility of a third wave and it might affect children. We are taking necessary steps to ensure that kids get timely medical care and treatment."

The BMC had held a meeting with all the deans of civic-run hospitals, doctors, paediatricians and health experts to decide on the Covid-19 treatment protocol for children.

"To begin with, we have decided to conduct awareness campaigns, for which all the ward and health officials have been asked to conduct the door-to-door health check-ups," added Kakani. He said that the health officials had been asked to follow the ICMR guidelines for childcare. The civic body has also decided to train general physicians in all wards on what measures to be taken in the third wave.

The team conducting door-to-door health check-ups would make note of the diseases or comorbidities a child is suffering from and whether he/she is being treated for it. It would also suggest corrective measures if a child is obese.

The state paediatric task force also highlighted that the focus should be on children with comorbidities like cardiovascular disease, hypertension, diabetes, immunocompromised conditions, chronic diseases of lung, kidney, liver, obesity, etc

"Children with comorbidities like obesity will be at high risk if they contract Covid-19. We are educating ASHA workers to keep a tab on such children so that if they are found Covid-19 positive, they can be monitored closely and shifted to paediatric Covid-19 centres if need be," said Dr Vijay Yewale, paediatrician and member of the state paediatric task force.