PUNE To increase testing for Sars-cov-2 virus which causes the Covid-19 (coronavirus) infection the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has deployed a bus equipped with advanced digital x-ray, blood-test facility and a swab collection booth.
The bus will move along the containment zones in Bhavani peth, Dhole Patil road wards and help take chest X-rays of high-risk contacts of positive patients.
Dr Rajesh Dighe, zonal medical officer, said, “The bus is equipped with x-ray, blood test facility and even swab collection booth. The bus allows us to move it easily into various places and so we have decided to place it on alternate days near the swab collection centres at Tadiwala road in the Dhole Patil road ward, and Mahatma Phule Peth area in Bhavani peth ward.”
The bus was inaugurated on Wednesday and out of the 75 suspected first contacts, 15 were scanned for X-ray on the first day at the Bhavani peth ward.
The bus has been provided by Krsnaa Diagnostics which is headquartered in Pune and had earlier provided the same bus in Mumbai. Now two buses have been provided for each of the two civic bodies PMC and Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC).
{{/usCountry}}The bus has been provided by Krsnaa Diagnostics which is headquartered in Pune and had earlier provided the same bus in Mumbai. Now two buses have been provided for each of the two civic bodies PMC and Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC).
{{/usCountry}}“The x-ray facility scans the chest of the suspected high-risk patients who are mostly seniors citizens with comorbidities who may show symptoms of Covid-19 (coronavirus) infection or any pneumonia-like symptoms. If the tests are done in the initial stage we can start treatment early,” said Dr Dighe.
Pallavi Jain, managing director, Krsnaa Diagnostics, said, “We have separated the bus into two compartments for the staff and the suspected patients. Each patient undergoes the x-ray scanning for which the results are displayed within 20 minutes and if we detect any patches of pneumonia or Covid-19 we inform the concerned health officer and then the suspected person can be sent for a swab test.”
“Till the results are out the person can be asked for self home quarantine,” added Jain.
As per the memorandum of understanding (MoU), the civic body will be charged Rs 400 for each scanning and blood test while the residents can avail this facility for free.