Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (SP)
Bengaluru, Jun 30: Karnataka deputy chief minister (DCM), Dr C N Ashwath Narayan, who also happens to be the president of Karnataka State Covid Workforce, said that all the college students aged over 18 will be vaccinated in ten days. He revealed that the responsibility of achieving this objective has been entrusted to the principals of the respective colleges.
He gave this information to the media personnel after holding a meeting of health, medical and education department officials on Tuesday June 29 about oxygen management in the state and vaccinating of the college students. "Within ten days, we will vaccinate engineering, medical, para medical, diploma, GCIT, ITI, polytechnic and degree college students at a brisk pace. On Monday, 94,000 students were vaccinated," he explained.
The minister said that the government has set for itself a target of increasing the oxygen storage capacity to 2,800 tonnes in the state from 360 units by August. "We plan to store additional 1,806 metric tonnes of oxygen within the health department and 500 metric tonnes. He said oxygen will also be collected from other sources.
'Oxygen beds being increased' - Sudhakar
Health minister Dr Sudhakar, said that steps have been taken to increase the oxygen beds in the state from the current 58,000 to 84,000. He said that ICUs are being added in taluk and district hospitals on priority. "We have received a report of the oxygen management committee headed by anaesthetist, Dr Raghavendra. We are creating suitable infrastructure," he informed.
He said that preparation to face the third wave is being made on the basis of the second wave experience. He also stated that many big private hospitals do not have oxygen storage units and that they have been served with notices asking them to immediately install the same.
Health department additional chief secretary Javed Akkhter, vaccination in-charge officer Vandita Sharma, medical education department secretary Anil Kumar, medical education department director Dr Girish, and others participated in the meeting.