From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network
Bengaluru, May 10: The state government has decided to create the best medical facilities and 8,105 oxygenated beds in the villages to meet the present and possible third wave of Covid pandemic, deputy chief minister Dr C N Ashwath Narayan said on Monday.
Dr Narayan, who is in charge of the higher education department and is the head of the Covid Task Force, said the government wants to create the best medical facilities in the villages and also in taluk hospitals.
DCM Ashwath Narayan (file photo)
After holding discussions with the additional principal secretary Jawaid Akhtar, said the availability of four to six ICU beds each in the 146 taluk hospitals will be increased to 20, which will raise the total of ICU beds to 1,925. The 206 Community Health Centres in the state have 30 ordinary beds each, which will be converted into ICU beds leading to a total of 6,180 ICU beds. Of these 30 each ICU beds in the Community Health Centres, five beds each will be converted into high-density oxygen beds. In addition, 50 ICU beds in each of the district hospitals will be created.
"We have already been devastated by the surge in the Covid second wave. It has become necessary to be prepared for the possible third wave from village level itself,’’ he said.
50 Ventilators to Wenlock Hospital
The deputy chief minister said the state government has already placed orders to purchase 3,000 oxygen concentrators. Another 10,000 oxygen concentrators will be purchased. While 40,000 RAT kits are being supplied on a daily basis, tenders are being invited for the purchase of more RAT kits.
Pointing out that the surge in the Covid infections has reached alarming proportions in the coastal region, Dr Narayan said instructions have been given for supplying 50 ventilators to the Wenlock Hospital in Mangaluru. This will minimize the pressure on the demand for ventilators in the district hospital, he said.
Global tenders are being invited to purchase 5 lac doses of Remdesivir anti-viral drug, he said.
Admitting that the workload on the doctors in the hospitals has increased, he said he has asked Jawaid Akhtar to speak with the medical education department to enable final year MBBS and post-graduate students to assist the doctors in the Covid treatment.
Dr Narayan said cases of a single mobile number being furnished to sending 500 samples for laboratories: "This kind of situation cannot be allowed and only one mobile number should be linked with five samples. It is necessary to make suitable changes in the system,’’ he said.