From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network

Bengaluru, Oct 3: The award from the India Today group to Karnataka as the Best State in Combating Covid 19 has given a big boost and impetus to work still more, Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr K Sudhakar said in New Delhi on Sunday.

Addressing the media in New Delhi on Sunday, Dr Sudhakar, who is in Delhi to receive the prestigious ‘India Today Healthgiri Award’ for the State’s extra-ordinary and successful efforts in Covid management from Union Health Minister Mansukh Madaviya on Saturday, said the State Government had taken pro-active steps against the Covid 19 pandemic and had enforced lockdown even before Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced it all over the country last year.

Dr Sudhakar said the number of oxygenated beds in the State was hardly 7 to 8 thousand earlier and has now been increased to 30,000 and the State had installed larger number of ventilators. A record 4,000 doctors had been appointed besides para-medical and nursing staff substantially as part of the measures to improve the health infrastructure in the State. All these steps were responsible for the State’s good performance in the Covid management, he explained.

The State has increased oxygen storage capacity to 1,300 tonnes. Steps had been to ensure that critical drugs like Remedsivir, Ampotecirine etc., had been procured in greater quantities.

Apart from administering a record 31.60 doses of vaccines on the Prime Minister’s birthday, the State Government has succeeded in giving 1.48 crore doses of vaccines in September and has set itself a target of vaccinating all eligible adult people by the year-end, he said pointing out that the Union Minister had been requested to allocate larger quantities of vaccines to the State.

Answering questions, Dr Sudhakar said Sero survey has shown that immunity levels in the community has been increased even though the months of November and December as more critical. However, there is no need for special concern or worries as the vaccination levels have been increased substantially, he said.

Dr Sudhakar said the war against the Covid pandemic has not been won yet and it is necessary to be vigilant, especially against detection of different Covid variants. It is, therefore, necessary to be vigilant and follow the Covid protocols, especially in avoid big mass gatherings.

The minister said the government has been opening physical classes in the schools and colleges in a phased manner given the fact that educational development and future of children must also be taken into consideration. There is demand from parents for reopening classes from the 1st to 5th Standards too, he said adding: the government will act cautiously and follow the advice of health experts.