From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network
Bengaluru, Jun 30: Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa, who held a meeting with the top executives of the private medical colleges on Tuesday, said the State Government was expecting that the private medical colleges with their own hospitals to provide clinical facilities to their medical students to provide at least 4,500 beds for treatment of the COVID 19 patients.
With the State Government already making arrangements for 2,000 beds in the two government medical colleges in the city, the availability of the total number of additional beds could go up to 6,500 beds if the managements of the private medical colleges came forward to lend their services in tackling the COVID 19 menace.
Yediyurappa informed the representatives of the managements of the private medical colleges that the State Government has already notified 2,200 beds in the 11 private medical colleges in the city in addition to the beds in the two government medical colleges.
In view of the increase in the number of Corona positive patients from Bengaluru in the last few days, the Chief Minister said the State Government was looking forward to the managements of the private medical colleges to make suitable arrangements to provide 4,500 beds.
Taking into account the 2,000 beds from the government medical colleges and the expected 4,500 beds from the private medical colleges will ensure the availability of a total of 6,500 extra beds for treatment, he said taking note of the fact that all medical colleges, barring 10, have already established clinical facilities for treatment during the last four months.
Responding to the Chief Minister’s appeal to make arrangements to provide 4,500 beds in the hospitals of the private medical colleges, the representatives of the managements promised to cooperate with the State Government fully in treatment of the COVID cases.
However, as it would take some time for making the necessary arrangements, the representatives of the managements have promised the State Government that the arrangements will be carried out in a phased manner.
The Chief Minister assured the managements of the private medical colleges that necessary arrangements to provide insurance cover for the medical and para-medical staff involved in the treatment of the Corona positive patients.
Yediyurappa said the State Government has already made a centralized system to ensure allotment of beds to the COVID patients through the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP). The entire centralized system will be fully operational in the next two to three days, he said indicating that all the hospitals involved in the treatment of the COVID patients will be covered by the system.
He also promised to constitute a committee to ensure coordination with the private medical colleges and also take necessary steps for providing treatment through telemedicine.
The Chief Minister requested the managements of the private medical colleges to provide necessary staff to assist and man the COVID care centers.
Deputy Chief Minister Dr C N Ashwatha Narayana, Medical Education Minister Dr K Sudhakar, Revenue Minister R Ashok, Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai, Chief Secretary T M Vijaya Bhaskar and other senior officials were present in the discussion.