Bengaluru, May 11 (IANS): Taking a leaf out of Chennai NGO Oxygen on Wheels's playbook, Karnataka on Tuesday launched its own version - OxyBus service - to aid Covid patients during emergencies.

After the Covid second wave hit the state in mid-March and intensified in April, the health care infrastructure is facing a daunting task of saving patients during the golden hour. Hospitals across the state are crumbling due to shortage of life saving equipment such as ventilators and oxygen concentrators.

Chief Minister B. S. Yediyurappa in his Tweet said that each makeshift OxyBus supports up to eight patients.

Last week, Chennai-based Jain International Trade Organisation (JITO) launched the relief project 'Oxygen on Wheels' in association with the Greater Chennai Corporation to address the Oxygen deficit faced by hospitals across the city.

Karnataka Health department officials said that through this Critical Golden hour initiative, the government is hoping to save as many lives as it can and also to minimize the casualty that could arise as a result of non-availability of beds.

"We plan to launch 20 such units near state run medical facilities such as hospitals and Triage centres in Bengaluru in its first phase while many more units will be set up across the state shortly," Yediyurappa said.

Earlier, the CM visited the 'Arogya Soudha' and BBMP (Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike) war room in Malleshwaram to review the functioning of the bed allocation system and citizen helpline.

"We are ensuring transparency and efficiency in the system for timely availability of beds to Covid patients," he claimed.

Answering the question, the CM also said that there was no shortage of anti-Covid vaccines for any age group including 18 to 44 years, which is the state government's initiative. "I only appeal to youngsters not to crown in front of vaccination centres unless they are registered and they have received the scheduled appointment date for their vaccine by the government," he explained.

The CM asserted that there will be no shortage of vaccine whatsoever.