Deputy CM and State Covid task force head, Dr C.N. Ashwatha Narayana, informed that the state intends to upgrade the hospitals within a maximum timeline of three months before the third wave of Covid-19 hits.
Karnataka’s Covid task force has approved to upgrade 149 taluk hospitals and 19 district hospitals in the state, excluding the ones under BBMP (Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike), at a budget of 1500 crores to prepare for the possible third wave of the pandemic, Deputy CM and State Covid task force head, Dr C.N. Ashwatha Narayana, stated on Monday.
Addressing a press conference after convening a meeting of the task force on Monday, Narayana, informed that the state intends to update the hospitals within a maximum timeline of three months. Task Force Sub Committee member C.C. Patil and minister Dr Sudhakar were also present at the meeting.
The government aims to provide maximum health facilities at the taluk level and up to 97 per cent special health services in the district hospitals. Out of the estimated amount, around 800 crores will be needed for infrastructure, and the remaining Rs 600-700 crores will be needed towards salary expenses which will be recurring every year, Narayana explained.
He said, “This upgrade will require the appointment of about 4,000 doctors, two-three nurses per doctor and other staff. Diagnostic facilities will also be augmented across the state correspondingly. District hospitals will have a minimum of 100 beds all oxygenated – 25 ICU with ventilators + 25 HDU beds + 50 normal oxygenated beds – and taluk hospitals will have a minimum of 25 oxygenated beds”.
As per the National Skill Commission’s decision, six skills have been listed under the Covid-19 management support program. In Karnataka, 5000 members who have passed the 10th and 12th will be trained under this program. They will be given training for three months and a stipend of Rs 5000 per month. Due to the huge demand of these verticals, they will work in 108 ambulance services, basic life-supporting, hospitals, and as nurse assistants, Narayana said.
Replying to a query, he said, even if the numbers of cases decline, the triaging centers and Covid Care Centres need to be kept operational till all people get at least one dose of vaccination. That is to say, they need to remain functional till the month of December.
With regard to augmenting the health facilities in the BBMP limits, finding land is the most prominent task and the Chief Commissioner of BBMP has been tasked with finding suitable spaces within 2 weeks, he informed.
The vaccination drive is being in progress and every day 6 lakh people are getting jabbed. This month, the state will be receiving around 80 lakh vaccines and this will be further increased in the coming months. Around 51 per cent in the age group above 45 years have been vaccinated, Narayana told.
Other key decisions taken in the meeting are:
To keep buffer stock of 5 lakh vials of Remdesivir
To procure drugs for treating black fungus
Integrated app linked with the war room to monitor the entire state’s Covid management with seamless information flow
To oxygenate 7300 beds in medical college hospitals within 3 months
Medical college hospitals should have 20 KL oxygen storage capacity
To set up 7 genome sequencing labs (including 4 in district hospitals)
To fund Rs 20 crore to establish facilities in 10 more hospitals (Five district hospitals + five medical college hospitals) to make them able to treat black fungus
Approval to purchase CT scanners for Shivamogga and Bidar
