'Bengaluru to get 10,000 bed COVID care facilities by Monday'

Bengaluru: Amid surge in COVID-19 cases, Karnataka Medical Education Minister S Sudhakar on Saturday said arrangements will be made to have 10,000 beds in government and private hospitals by Monday evening and multi-storey residential apartment complexes will also be used to treat infected patients.

“By Monday evening, we will have a definite information about the number of beds available in the government and private hospitals.

Efforts are afoot to arrange 10,000 beds to treat coronavirus patients by Monday evening,” Sudhakar said in a statement on Saturday after video conferencing with the health department officials.

Apart from government and private hospitals, buildings belonging to the Bengaluru Development Authority, housing board, apartments constructed by the private builders, government and private sports facilities, playgrounds, hostels and major commercial buildings will be utilised to treat coronavirus patients, the minister said.

“Since covid care centres do not require much facilities, the multi-storey residential apartment complexes built by BDA and housing department will be utilised.

BDA has around 1700 flats. BDA commissioner Mahadev will inform the exact number of flats available for use on Monday,” Sudhakar explained.

Based on the facilities available, these will be converted to either COVID care centres or hospitals, Sudhakar said.

He underlined that for the past one week about 30 to 35 per cent of the infected cases are showing symptoms.

It has been instructed to experts to classify the symptomatic cases as mild, moderate and severe and prepare treatment protocols, he said, adding that private hospitals have been instructed to reserve 50 per cent of the beds for COVID treatment.

Discussions will be held with managements of private hospitals and they will be provided details of capping of treatment cost.

The possibility of utilising almost entire capacity in private medical colleges is being examined, Sudhakar said.

The minister explained that all necessary arrangements in the identified facilities will be made with the help of private sector.

Karnataka State Reserved Police, Home Guards, NCC cadets and para-military forces stationed in city will be utilised for security arrangements, the minister said.

Senior officials including Additional Chief Secretary Javed Akhtar, BDA commissioner Dr M Mahadev and Medical Education Secretary T K Anil Kumar were present during the meeting.