From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network
Bengaluru, Jul 17: On day three after the clampdown of the week-long lockdown in Bengaluru Urban and Rural districts following the sharp spike in COVID infection and deaths, Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa on Friday ordered ‘stringent action’ against private hospitals refusing admission for treatment of corona patients.
Holding a meeting of all the ministers entrusted with the responsibility of overseeing the management of COVID epidemic control in the eight zones of the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) in Bengaluru on Friday, he directed the officials to remove all obstacles in admission of infected to hospitals.
Deputy Chief Minister Dr C N Ashwatha Narayan, Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai, Revenue Minister R Ashok, Union Chemicals and Fertilisers Minister D V Sadananda Gowda, Chief Secretary T M Vijaya Bhaskar and Tejasvi Surya, Bengaluru South MP, were among the participants.
Yediyurappa directed the officials to ensure availability of treatment to COVID as well as non-COVID patients in private hospitals in accordance with the government guidelines.
He advised them to make sure about the admission of asymptomatic and mildly symptomatic to COVID Care Centres or home quarantine them so that hospital beds are made available to those who are in dire need of treatment in hospitals.
The Chief Minister also instructed conduct of rapid antigen tests for the deceased persons and take necessary steps to handover the body or conduct last rites as per the guidelines.
Yediyurappa wanted rapid antigen tests to be conducted to those who died at home and facilitate the family to conduct last rites sooner.
No proposal to extend lockdown
On this occasion, the Chief Minister reiterated that lockdown is not a solution to contain the COVID pandemic and made it clear that there is no such proposal to extend lockdown in the city beyond July 23.
“It is the responsibility of all citizens to abide by the guidelines issued by the authorities and cooperate by not unnecessarily moving around. This will create problems for the police and authorities,’’ he said.
Vacant posts are being filled to avoid lack of doctors. Volunteers have been identified in each ward and ambulances have also been notified, he said.
Nodal officers and volunteers would be deputed to private hospitals to ensure smooth coordination and to provide information about admissions and bed availability, the Chief Minister said.
He said marriage halls and hotels are identified in each BBMP ward to quarantine people who cannot go on home quarantine due to lack of amenities in their homes.
He directed to conduct more number of tests across the state and also to depute more number of police personnel to avoid crowding in certain places.
He directed to decentralize bed allocation system to zonal level and closely monitor and ensure bed allocation and arrival of ambulance to the doorstep of the infected within two hours of being tested positive.
The Chief Minister instructed the officials to give priority for the admission of symptomatic people above 65 years of age and asymptomatic to be admitted to COVID Care Centre.