Bengaluru, Oct 12 (IANS): Karnataka's new Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr K Sudhakar on Monday asserted that his biggest priority would be to reduce the Covid-19 mortality rate to less than one per cent.

Listing out his challenges after he was made the Health M, he said that his top priority would be to tackle Covid-19 effectively and reduce the mortality rate.

Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa earlier in the day divested B Sreeramulu of the portfolio and made Medical Education Minister Dr Sudhakar the new Health Minister also.

"Prime Minister Narendra Modi had asked us (Karnataka) to bring down Covid mortality rate to less than one per cent sometime ago; it has become top-most priority for me now," Sudhakar said after seeking the blessings of powerful Vokkaliga pontiff, Shri Nirmalanandanatha Swamiji of Adichunchanagiri Mutt here.

The Minister said that it was important to trace primary and secondary contacts of the infected persons within 48 hours for this.

Sudhakar said that the state needs to emulate the Kerala model in providing quality health services to the public.

In response to a question, the Minister maintained that Sreeramulu too had been assigned an equally important portfolio to provide justice to the underprivileged section of society.

He said that there was no question of taking someone's responsibility but such a decision was taken in view of administrative considerations by Yeddyurappa.

He asserted that it would be easy for him as Minister to handle both Medical Education and Health Departments.

"Technically both are one. Even other states also follow the same model. It was difficult to manage both the departments separately on administrative grounds," Sudhakar reasoned.