Calling the current surge in COVID-19 cases an “unprecedented situation”, Karnataka Health Minister Dr K Sudhakar on Wednesday said that 2,000 more beds in the Intensive Care Units of hospitals in Bengaluru will be arranged soon. Addressing the media along with Bengaluru South MP Tejasvi Surya and Revenue Minister R Ashoka, Sudhakar said that private hospitals have to reserve 50% of their general bed capacity as well as 50% of the beds in Intensive Care Units and those with ventilators attached.
He also announced that any hospital in Bengaluru with less than 20 beds should not admit COVID-19 patients. The Health Minister added that a hospital must have a minimum of 30 beds to administer COVID-19 care.
“Hospitals with less than 20-30 beds rely on oxygen cylinders, they don’t have liquid oxygen plants in the institutions. The government has decided that any hospitals with less than 20 beds will only focus on tending to non-COVID-19 patients. The government will not tolerate the loss of life due to negligence. Hospitals above 30 beds can treat COVID-19 patients. The hospitals have to not only reserve 50% of their general bed capacity but also 50% of beds in Intensive Care Units, ICU beds with ventilators attached,” said the Health Minister.
Tejasvi Surya Addresses Important Press Conference on COVID-19 Updates in Bengaluru and the city's infrastructure development https://t.co/UP1xYbyEDT
— Tejasvi Surya (@Tejasvi_Surya) April 21, 2021
The Health Minister mentioned that the decision was approved in a meeting with Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa, Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai, youth leaders from the city including Tejasvi Surya conducted on Monday.
The Minister further said that apart from procuring additional oxygen, an additional 23,000 vials of the anti-COVID-19 drug remdesivir were acquired by the state government. He also added that the government is trying to get more beds, especially the beds in ICUs.
Speaking on vaccination, Sudhakar said that the government has spoken to Bharat Biotech’s officials in Bengaluru to procure more vaccines. He further added that Chief Minister Yediyurappa will be writing a letter to procure adequate vaccines for people in the state.
Meanwhile, Revenue Minister R Ashoka said that the government has allotted extra land for carrying out the last rites of COVID-19 victims. Responding to a question that private ambulance services were allegedly overcharging the families of deceased persons, he said that anyone exploiting the situation will be punished and urged the kin to file a complaint with the police.