Officials must coordinate better on Covid: Minister
BENGALURU:
Proper coordination between officials of various departments would go a long way in controlling the spread of the coronavirus in the state, Medical Education Minister Dr K. Sudhakar said, in perhaps a veiled reference to his dissatisfaction with official performance so far.
At a video conference with senior officials of the Health and Medical Education departments, BBMP and directors of Victoria, Bowring and Rajiv Gandhi Hospitals, the minister said there should be a nurse for every three patients in ICUs. Final-year medical students could also be deployed, he said.
Noting that senior officer Somanna Kadakola had been appointed to supervise hygiene and food supply in Victoria Hospital, the minister said Bowring and Rajiv Gandhi Hospitals must also appoint an officer for the purpose.
Tele-ICU
Dr Sudhakar instructed the officials to deploy tele-ICU facilities to enable better monitoring of patients. He said senior officials should visit private hospitals and ensure that 50% of beds are reserved as per government orders. A senior officer must be designated to create a single-window system for admission of Covid cases in government and private hospitals.
CCCs with 5,000 beds
Due to the change in weather, cases of the common flu were increasing and most of them were at risk of being infected with the coronavirus. To accommodate the anticipated rise in cases, Covid Care Centres with 5,000 beds would be set up, he said.
The minister instructed the officials to adopt transparent methods while communicating with the media. Some reports in the media were far from the reality, he noted.
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