Mangaluru, Aug 12 (IANS): Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, who is on a visit to Mangaluru to review the Covid situation, on Thursday announced that 50 per cent of ICU beds in the state hospitals will be converted into paediatric ICU beds.

Asked about the preparation for the third wave of Covid which is expected to hit the children, he said that the state government is already taking precautionary measures.

"At all hospitals in zilla panchayats, 100 plus bed hospitals in taluka panchayats and government hospitals in Bengaluru, it has been decided to convert 50 per cent of ICU beds into paediatric ICU beds," he said.

The government is also implementing the "Vatsalya" programme aimed to ensure well-being of children during the time of Covid.

"The announcement will be made when I return to Bengaluru (Friday). The projects have been implemented successfully in Haveri and Udupi districts," Bommai stated.

The project will ensure that children will have more immunity towards Covid. Children comprise the non-vaccinated group and steps will be taken to increase the number of ICU beds, ventilator beds and oxygen beds, he added.

The Covid infection spread from neighbouring states of Kerala and Maharashtra last time and necessary steps have been taken to ensure that this is not repeated, he underlined. "Health checkups will be conducted on all children of bordering villages," he stated.