3rd Covid wave will affect large numbers of Karnataka children: MP

In a three-page letter addressed to the CM, Ramamurthy said: “The second wave of Covid-19 has adversely affected not only adults but also the pediatric population. Doctors across Karnataka are reporting treating many symptomatic children. Almost 10-12% of the positive reports across India are found to be children below 18 years of age. It has been predicted by experts that the third wave will affect children and newborns significantly as they are both a vulnerable population and would not have received the Covid-19 vaccine as well. It is important that we prepare ourselves as a state for the large numbers of children who may be affected, both medically and psychologically, by Covid-19.”

Task force functions

“There is hence a need to immediately set up a pediatric task force for Covid-19, comprising pediatricians from both the public and private sector, to ensure that children are well taken care of. This expert panel should be able to help guide the state government and perform the following functions:

• Establish treatment guidelines for children (below 18 years of age) affected by Covid-19 infection.

• Determine the availability and numbers of pediatric health infrastructure such as neonatal and pediatric ICUS, pediatric ventilators, oxygen beds, trained pediatric nurses and doctors, and exclusive Covid centres for children.

• Prepare a need-based increase in pediatric health infrastructure across the state to be able to handle the number of children who will be potentially affected by the third wave.

• Set up pediatric clinics and screening centres to manage minor infection. Procure and stock the necessary drugs and medicines needed to manage pediatric Covid infection.

• Prepare guidelines for the management of the psychological impact of Covid-19 on children who are affected by infection, children who are separated from parents, and children who have lost one or both parents to Covid-19.

Although children have been shown to better handle the Covid infection till now, we must brace ourselves for the 3rd wave which has definitely been shown to burden the health care system with pediatric Covid cases as in countries like Brazil and the UK. By creating a pediatric task force, we must be able to ensure that no child in Karnataka dies due to the lack of treatment.

“I would hence like to request you to take necessary and timely action to create the pediatric task force with selected pediatric experts. This will set Karnataka apart as a state which is well prepared and cares about its children.

Names for task force

I would like to suggest the following experts for this task force who are well known in the field and could contribute immensely:

1) Dr Shivananda – Ex-Director, Indira Gandhi Institute of Child Health (IGICH) and pediatric infectious diseases expert
2) Dr Sanjay KS — current Director, Indira Gandhi Institute of Child Health (IGICH)
3) Dr Basavaraja GV — National Secretary, Indian Academy of Pediatrics (IAP) and pediatric ICU expert
4) Dr KR Bharath Kumar Reddy — Director, Shishuka Children’s Hospital, and pediatric pulmonology and lung specialist
5) Dr Jagadish Chinnappa — Head of Department, Pediatrics, Manipal Hospitals
6) Dr Swarna Rekha Bhat — Ex-HOD and neonatal expert, St Johns Medical College
7) Dr Supraja Chandrashekar — Pediatric ICU in-charge, Columbia Asia Hospitals