Bengaluru: The state government has decided not to allow home isolation for COVID-19 patients in rural areas and slums of urban areas. Arrangements will be made to ensure that they mandatorily get admitted in COVID Care Centres, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister Dr Ashwathnarayan C N on Saturday.
Addressing a press conference, Ashwathnarayan, also the state COVID task force head, said, "In rural areas, COVID Care Centres will be established at the Primary Health Care level. Rapid Antigen Test needs to be done at people's doorsteps in viral hot spots. In rural areas, arrangements for isolation and treatment shall be made in places such as hostels. The district deputy commissioners will be entrusted with this responsibility.”
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During a task force team's meeting prior to the press conference, several decisions with regard to ICU beds, oxygenated beds, vaccination, procurement of drugs and consumables, black fungal mitigation and strengthening of health infrastructure in both rural and urban areas were discussed.
Important decisions made during the task force meeting are as follows:
District Hospitals: In every district hospital, 100 ICU beds shall be made available on a permanent basis. The required infrastructure and manpower will be arranged and all these hospitals will have oxygen generating units.
Covaxin: For now, only the second dose will be administered. Those who have taken the first dose six weeks ago will be inoculated on priority.
Covishied: The second dose will be administered for those who have completed 12 weeks since the first dose. The first dose of this vaccine, for those above 45 years and are yet to be inoculated, will be administered.
18-44 years age group: An app will be developed. This app will be interfaced with Cowin App and later the vaccination schedule will be prepared, taking into account the availability of vaccines.
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Priority list: A priority list will be prepared for administering vaccine. The list may include workers and employees of the postal and agricultural departments, bank employees and internet service providers among others.
Vaccination away from hospitals: The vaccine drive will be carried out in places away from hospitals, such as school grounds etc.
Covid medical waste disposal: Rs 10 will be allocated per bed to facilitate timely disposal of waste in government hospitals.
Medical kits should be provided to also those infected referred by private doctors.
Genome Labs: To study the changes in the genetics of viruses, it has been decided to set up genome labs in six places in the state.
Drugs for 90 days: Approval granted to procure medicines and other consumables required for the next 90 days in a phased manner at Rs 260 crore. Procurement will be done through State Medical Supply Corporation by floating tenders.
Black Fungus:- At present, about 400 cases are estimated per week. There is a shortage of the required drugs. The central government will be asked to provide 20,000 vials of the needed drug.
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Oxygen Regulators: 1000 oxygen utility regulatory devices developed by DRDO will be purchased. Of these, 900 will be automatic, costing Rs 10,000 each and 100 will be manual, costing Rs 6,000 each.
Oxygen bottling plants: These will be set up in nine districts that do not have this facility. Oxygen generators of 200-300 litres/minute capacity will be set up in community health centres. All beds will be oxygenated in taluk hospitals. To facilitate this, oxygen generators of 500-600 litres/minute capacity will be set up.
Global tender for vaccines: The task force has approved funds to the tune of Rs 843 crore
Remdesivir: Global tender to procure five lakh injections will be floated. Rs 75 crore will be reserved for this purpose.
Across Karnataka, there are 207 community health centres, each with a capacity of 30 beds. All 3O beds in each of these centres will be converted into oxygenated beds. Of these, five ICU beds and five HDU beds will be made available. In taluk hospitals, 50 ICU beds will be made available (15 ventilator, out of this six are for pediatric). The task force has also decided to set up 100 ICU beds in district centres where medical colleges do not exist.
Physical triage will be made compulsory for hospitalization.
One lakh pulse oximeters will be procured.
BBMP to be relieved of health management
The task force has proposed to transfer the responsibility of the health management system in Bengaluru, which is currently under the BBMP, to the Health and Family Department. Dr Ashwathanarayan said a committee will be constituted to study the nitty-gritty. The committee will be instructed to submit the study report during the next task force meeting, he said.
100 bedded secondary hospital will be set up in each Assembly constituency of Bengaluru and a tertiary care hospital will be set up for every four constituencies.
