BENGALURU: Facing a deadly combination of rising Covid-19 cases and shortage of beds in private and government hospitals, the State government has decided to increase the number of ICU beds and other facilities. That is not all, they need to be set up quickly.
Principal Secretary, Revenue department, N Manjunatha Prasad signed orders for the appointment of Dr P S Harsha, Commissioner for Information and Public Relations, as nodal officer for setting up 500 ICU beds on fast-track mode in each BBMP zone, with immediate effect.
With this order, BBMP and health department officials are optimistic that the rush and dependence on private hospitals will be reduced. “Once this facility is set up, we will no longer have to depend on private hospitals for help. We will also have the ability to take stern action against non-cooperating private hospitals under the Disaster Management Act,” said a BBMP official.
Prasad also issued orders for the redistribution and management of hearse vans. Earlier, the vans were handled by control rooms, but now they will be managed by joint commissioners of each zone. The government has also issued orders, granting permission for creating Covid Care Centres (CCCs) in apartment complexes, companies, NGOs and other places, with cases on the rise.