Bengaluru, Aug 2 (IANS) A 200-bed dedicated hospital for Covid patients would soon be opened in central Bengaluru later this month, Karnataka Medical Education Minister D.K. Sudhakar announced on Sunday.
“The civic hospital on Broadway Road in Shivajinagar area is being converted into a 200-bed Covid hospital and will become functional in two weeks,” he said in a statement here.
The renovated hospital will be equipped with all medical facilities, including oxygen cylinders and ventilators, to treat symptomatic and seriously-infected patients from across the city.
“The required doctors, nurses and paramedical staff have been identified for deputation to the new hospital.
“Infosys Foundation of the global software major is providing the infrastructure to the new hospital,” said Sudhakar.
The minister, who was a medical practitioner before entering politics, also thanked 570 private doctors of Haveri district for providing free service to Covid patients in the state’s northwest region.
“The yeomen service by the doctors and healthcare warriors is laudable as they are a role model for society. I salute their spirit of service and professionalism,” Sudhakar said.
In a related development, Deputy Chief Minister C.N. Ashwath Narayan warned civic healthcare workers of action if they failed to complete the door-to-door survey of the vulnerable people by conducting Covid test on them at the earliest.
“Booth level healthcare workers of the city civic corporation should speed up the survey to track, trace, test and treat the infected for reducing the cases. Disciplinary action will be taken against those who fail to comply with the order,” Narayan said in a statement here.
The minister, who was also a medical practitioner earlier, directed the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) to initiate action against private hospitals denying admission and treatment to Covid patients in their hospitals.
“All private hospitals and nursing homes across the city and state are required to allot 50 per cent of their beds for treating Covid patients on priority, failing which legal action will be taken against them under the National Disaster Management Act, 2005,” he warned.
Of the 5,532 new Covid cases reported on Sunday, Bengaluru accounted for 2,105, taking its tally to 59,501, including 37,513 active, while 1,077 succumbed till date since March 9.
–IANS
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