BENGALURU: The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has roped in noted Kannada actor Ramesh Arvind as its brand ambassador to disseminate accurate information. This has been done to ensure that right information reaches the masses and the pandemic is controlled.Newly-appointed commissioner N Manjunatha Prasad called the actor on Monday morning and told him of his new role soon after he signed the formation of BBMP task force on Covid-19 public health response.
Commissioner Prasad told TNIE that the committee was formed for better management. He said a cross section of people have been included in the committee so that there are better results.Ramesh Arvind said that while he was disseminating information in his individual capacity, the responsibility given to him now by the State government makes the challenge bigger. He said he was open to suggestions from citizens, experts and government on what needs to be communicated. “I have already started looking out for information. Today I found an interesting piece of information — like the virus will spread less in flights when compared to restaurants. This is because you are not talking as much in a flight, when compared to in a restaurant where droplet dispersal is higher. So people need to be more cautious,” he said.
Doctors roped in
The committee comprises BBMP Commissioner, D Randeep, BBMP Special Commissioner, Dr Giridhara R Babu, professor, head- Lifecourse epidomology, IIPH, PHFI, Vijendra, chief health officer- public health, BBMP, Nirmala Buggi, chief health officer- clinical, BBMP, Dr Ravi Mehta, pulmonologist, Apollo Hospitals, Jayanagar, Dr Krishna Murthy, Medical Director, Vittala International Institute, Ophthalmology, Dr Venkatesh, DSO, Surveillance, Coordination of contact tracing, containment zones, Dr Asis Satapathy, Regional Team lead and NPO- World Health Organisation, Bengaluru, Dr Nagaraja N T, Survelliance Medical Officer, WHO-Bengaluru, Ramesh Arvind, actor, Dr Ranganath, prof and Head, BMCRI, Dr Ramesh Masthi, Professor, KIMS, Dr Suresh G K, NUHM, BBMP, Dr Kalavathi, RCH, BBMP, Dr Pradeep Rangappa, Intensivist, Columbia Asia Hospital.
Special invitees/advisor: Dr M K Sudarshan, Chairman, Technical Advisory Committee, Prof Ravi V, Neurovirology, NIMHANS, Prof Gururaj, Dean, NIMHANS, Dr Lokesh Alahari, WHO Sub- Regional Team Leader, Karnataka, UNICEF, Rotary representatives.