From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network
Bengaluru, Apr 30: After several days of utter chaos, confusion and delays, the problems pertaining to cremation of persons who lost their lives due to the Covid pandemic and the shortages of ICU or ventilators beds for the treatment of Covid positive patients in Bengaluru, Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) chief commissioner, Gaurav Gupta on Friday has finally assured the people that all these problems have been sorted out.
"The cremation process in Bengaluru is stabilised. Now that there are several crematoriums allocated for Covid-19 deaths including the open grounds, the situation has come to control. We have even mobilised to release the body of the deceased to a private ambulance or any volunteering ambulances and not restrict only to BBMP ambulances,’’ he said adding: "This has also cut down a huge load on the burden of keeping the bodies in the hospitals for too long."
He said another crematorium facility will be started at Gidnanhalli from Friday.
"This (cremation) wouldn’t be a pain point hereafter. We already have zonal officers and nodal officers to look into this matter zonal wise and it is being sorted out. We are also ensuring the smooth process for non-Covid bodies which are directed to their respective crematoriums," he said.
The BBMP chief commissioner said: "If the load increases even there (new crematorium at Gidanahalli), we have made necessary arrangements in the open cremation spots in the city limits."
Medical kits for home quarantined patients
With several patients who are asymptomatic are opting to stay at home and get treatment, the BBMP will be providing them with medical kits, he said.
BBMP has also released funds to the zones to purchase the drugs and necessary items for the medical kit.
In addition, Gupta said BBMP has also asked Karnataka Drugs Logistics (KDL) to supply medical kits. But there have been constraints and hence the BBMP zones will be procuring directly at least 1 lac medical kits immediately for distribution to all home isolated patients within the next three days.
He said the BBMP also had a discussion with apartment federations to arrange for these medical kits and also provide basic medical facilities within their campuses.
Help-desks in 50 city hospitals
A 24/7 help desk for patients has been set up in over 25 hospitals currently which will take care of all patients' grievances and it has been decided that over 50 help desks in all bigger medical facilities will be set up as soon as possible, he said.
On Friday, the BBMP chief commissioner visited the Apollo Hospital in Jayanagar where a help desk was set up and he ensured that it works in full capacity 24/7 and help the patients.
He also addressed concerns on bed allocation by the hospital and oxygen supply. He also said that we should ensure that there is no problem that arises in these aspects in the future.
Triaging is a must now
Triaging of patients are important as a first step to get admission into the hospitals, he said pointing out that it will cut down the burden on the BBMP because the triaging will help the patients to be classified into proper medical fraternities.
BBMP intends to make 12 Covid Care Centres (CCC) open for triaging and daycare for walk-in patients. So far, patients were booked through CHBMS, but now triaging will help to allot a proper medical facility.
"Along with this, we will also make a way for 10 maternity homes in BBMP limits to be converted from today as transit oxygen centres for stabilising the patients who would be triaged and advised further," he said.
With BBMP’s 12 CCCs, the city will have around 2,100 beds that are operational and only 800 are occupied now. Over 1,000 plus beds will be available and can be utilised as well, he said.
The BBMP chief commissioner said there is a need to increase the CCCs and already plans have been initiated to convert hotels into step-down hospitals.
"We are getting 130 oxygen concentrators from sponsors’ and we have planned to place them in the CCCs," he said.
Kidwai Testing Centre can test 20,000 samples
"Currently, there are 6,000 tests that are going on every day. The testing laboratory in Kidwai has a capacity of testing 20,000 Covid-19 samples every day and it is getting uploaded and the generation of BU number and SRF ID doesn’t become a problem here. We have also discussed various issues related to the delay in the generation of BU numbers and try to implement it," Gupta said.
The BBMP chief commissioner explained that in Kidwai, everything is automated in the system.
ICU-Ventilator crisis
On the shortages of ICU and Ventilator beds, Gupta said the unavailability of ICU and ventilator beds was being discussed at the level of the state government already.
"We have increased the overall bed count in the past few days and the private hospitals are also supporting us in this. IAS and IPS officers are also working in this direction," he said.
He pointed out that the Covid-19 pandemic needs more ventilators and it is being discussed in length by the health experts with the government. There is also a discussion to shift clinically stable patients in the ICU to the HDU wards and monitor them and make space for ICU or ventilator required patients.
The health and family welfare department is looking into this matter. We might have to increase 500 more ICU beds soon due to the shortage faced now. Field hospitals are also to be ready soon, he added.