149 Taluk hospitals, 19 district hospitals to be upgraded at a cost of Rs 1500 crore

Bengaluru: The State Covid task force has approved to upgrade 149 taluk hospitals and 19 district hospitals in the state (excluding BBMP limits) by spending Rs 1500 crore in view of preparing to face the possible Covid third wave, Deputy CM and State Covid task force head, Dr.C.N.Ashwathanarayan, stated on Monday.

Addressing a press conference after convening a meeting of the task force on Monday, Narayana, informed this up-gradation has been set with a maximum timeline of 3 months. The government has intended to provide maximum health facilities at the taluk level itself and up to 97 per cent special health services in district places. Out of the estimated 1500 crores, around 800 crores will be needed for infrastructure, and the remaining Rs 600-700 crores will be needed towards salary expenses which will be recurring every year, Narayana explained.

He said, "This up-gradation will require the appointment of about 4,000 doctors, 2-3 nurses per each doctor and other staff. Diagnostic facilities will also be augmented across the state correspondingly. District hospitals will have a minimum of 100 beds all oxygenated (25 ICU with ventilators+25 HDU beds+ 50 normal oxygenated beds) and taluk hospitals will have a minimum of 25 oxygenated beds".

As per the National Skill Commission's decision, 6 skills have been listed under Covid management support skills, and in Karnataka, 5000 members who have passed 10TH & 12TH will be trained under this program. They will be given training for 3 months and a stipend of Rs 5000/ per month will be paid for each trainee. There is a huge demand for these verticals and they are required in 108 ambulance services, basic life-supporting, hospitals, and as nurse assistants, he said.

Replying to a query, he told, even if the numbers of cases decline, the triaging centers and Covid Care Centres need to be kept in an operational state till all people get at least get one dose of vaccination. That is to say, they need to remain functional till the month of December.

With regard to augmenting the health facilities in the BBMP limits, finding the land/space required is the prominent task and for this Chief Commissioner of BBMP has been asked to find the suitable lands/spaces within a timeline of 2 weeks, he informed.

The vaccination drive is being in progress and every day 6 lakh people are getting jabbed. This month state will be receiving around 80 lakh vaccines and this will be further increased in the coming months.

Around 51 per cent in the age group above 45 years have been vaccinated, Narayana told.

Other Key Decisions

♦ To keep buffer stock of 5 lakh vials of Remdesivir

♦ To procure drugs for treating black fungus

♦ Integrated App linked with the War Room to monitor entire State's Covid Management with seamless information flow

♦ To oxygenate 7300 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 fund Rs 20 crore to establish facilities in 10 more hospitals (5 district hospitals+ 5 medical college hospitals) to make them enable to treat black fungus

♦ Approval to purchase CT scanners for Shivamogga and Bidar