From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network
Bengaluru, May 6: As many as 6,034 beds have been reserved for Covid-19 patients for treatment in private medical colleges in Bengaluru and another 1,135 beds will be reserved soon.
Health and family welfare as well as medical education minister Dr K Sudhakar, home and law minister Basavaraj Bommai and revenue minister R Ashok, who held a meeting in Vidhana Soudha on Thursday with representatives of managements of private medical colleges in Bengaluru convinced them to reserve beds for Covid patients.
Speaking to media representatives after the meeting, Dr Sudhakar and Bommai said that except for mother and child hospitals and non-Covid emergency hospitals, all other teaching hospitals have agreed to reserve 75% beds.
"We are in constant touch with Centre regarding supply of the vaccine. Now we have stock of about 5 lac doses. So far we have administered more than 1 crore doses of vaccine in the state,’’ the ministers said adding: "The state government has ordered 2 crore doses of vaccine and we are expecting to receive one more consignment by May 15.’’
Final year MBBS and nursing students will be provided special allowance and credits for serving in Covid related duties. They will be considered as corona warriors and accorded priority in vaccination, Dr Sudhakar said.
He said the state government will also provide risk allowance to all those involved in Covid related work.
All teachings hospitals have been directed to focus on reducing fatality rate, conduct detailed audits and provide quality treatment, the minister said.
5,000 beds in step-down hospitals to be created
Home minister Basavaraj Bommai said the state government has set a target of establishing step-down hospitals with 5,000 beds in the state to meet the need for more hospital beds for the Covid patients for treatment. The state government is making arrangements to secure rooms in big hotels in the vicinity of the hospitals to meet the target, he said.
The minister said the management of all private medical colleges in Bengaluru have been asked to furnish details of the Covid patients being admitted and discharged to the Covid War Room and also the Apthamitra portals on a daily basis.
Bommai said there was a need for increasing the oxygenated beds in hospitals and said the state government would provide 75% of the cost to the private hospitals for creating oxygenated beds.
He said the state government has decided to appoint a KAS officer to monitor the availability of beds in each of the hospitals and another senior officer will also be appointed to supervise the arrangements, who will look after hospitals each.