Rs 1,500-crore ‘Covid upgrade’ for Karnataka hospitals

Addressing a presser after a meeting of the task force, Dr Narayan said it was planned to complete the upgradation in 3 months.

The government’s plan is to provide the maximum health facilities at the taluk level and up to 97% special health services at the district level. Out of the estimated Rs 1,500 crore, around Rs 800 crore will be needed for infrastructure and the remaining Rs 600-700 crore for recurring salary expenses, Narayan said.

He said, “The upgradation will require the appointment of about 4,000 doctors, 2-3 nurses per doctor, and other staff. Diagnostic facilities will also be augmented across the state. District hospitals will have a minimum of 100 oxygenated beds (25 ICU with ventilators, 25 HDU beds and 50 normal oxygenated beds), and taluk hospitals will have a minimum of 25 oxygenated beds.”

Student staffers

As per the National Skill Commission’s criteria, 6 skills have been listed under Covid management support skills. In Karnataka, 5,000 students who have passed Classes 10 and 12 will be trained for 3 months at a stipend of Rs 5,000 per month. There is a huge demand for such staff and they are required in ‘108’ ambulance services, basic life support, hospitals and as nurse assistants, the DyCM said.

Replying to a query, he said that even if the number of cases declines, the triaging centres and Covid Care Centres will be kept operational till everybody gets at least one dose of the vaccine — that is to say, till December.

With regard to augmenting the health facilities in the BBMP limits, finding land/space was a key task and the BBMP Chief Commissioner has been asked to find suitable land/space within 2 weeks, he said.

The vaccination drive is progressing and around 6 lakh people are getting jabbed daily. This month, Karnataka will be receiving around 80 lakh vaccines and this will be increased in the coming months. Around 51% in the age group above 45 years have been vaccinated, Narayan said.

Other key decisions taken in the meeting:

•To keep a buffer stock of 5 lakh vials of Remdesivir
•To procure drugs for treating Black Fungus
•Integrated app linked with the war room to monitor the entire state’s Covid management with seamless information flow
•To oxygenate 7,300 beds in medical college hospitals within 3 months
•Medical college hospitals should have 20 KL oxygen storage capacity
•To set up 7 genome sequencing labs (including 4 in district hospitals)
•To spend Rs 20 crore to establish facilities in 10 more hospitals (5 district hospitals and 5 medical college hospitals) for treating Black Fungus
•Purchase of CT scanners for Shivamogga and Bidar

Ministers Dr Sudhakar and CC Patil were present at the Covid task force committee meeting.