Bengaluru introduces OTP system to tackle complaints of ‘missing’ COVID-19 patients

Coronavirus

The civic body’s chief had earlier said that over 3,000 patients who have tested positive for the novel coronavirus in Bengaluru could not be traced.

TNM Staff

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The Karnataka Health Department, along with authorities in Bengaluru, have begun enforcing a one time password (OTP) authentication system to ensure that there is no error in recording phone numbers of patients undergoing COVID-19 testing.This method has been implemented to ensure that there is no room for data entry errors or patients themselves giving bogus contact details at the time of giving their samples for testing.  The OTP system will work in the same way as it does for one booking a cab service or doing an online bank transaction, for the purpose of authentication.The system which is already in place in Bengaluru is expected to begin in other districts shortly.  It may be recalled that earlier in the week, Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) Commissioner N Manjunath Prasad said that over 3,000 patients who have tested positive for the novel coronavirus in Bengaluru could not be traced. He said that these persons could not be reached on the mobile phone number or the address they had provided. The BBMP Commissioner had also said that to ensure such lapses do not reoccur, they will verify the details given by the patients with the help of government-issued identification cards. BBMP and police officials involved in contact tracing work said that while at times, patients themselves give wrong address and contact details, sometimes there are genuine errors on part of the data entry operators. Officials said that with the OTP system in place, the condition of the patient can be assessed correctly and it can be ensured that they get adequate care. It would also ensure that they do not infect others due to lack of information. Speaking to TNM, Mysuru Deputy Commissioner G Abhiram Sekhar had said that the issue was not unique to Bengaluru but was also observed in Mysuru and the rest of the state as well in varying degrees. Speaking to TNM, a Deputy Commissioner of Police posted in Bengaluru city said that police personnel could help trace 90% of such ‘missing’ patients if their mobile number was correct, with the help of call data records.

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