HASSAN: As winter sets in, Karnataka’s second-largest designated Covid-19 hospital, Hassan Institute of Medical Sciences (HIMS), is all set to tackle a second wave.Director of HIMS, Dr BK Ravikumar said the hospital has enough facilities to tackle it. One of the first 50 Covid testing labs in the state, HIMS catered to people from neighbouring districts of Kodagu, Chikkmagaluru, Tumakuru, Mandya, and Mysuru, during the initial days of the outbreak.
Now, it has a full-fledged Coronavirus Research Diagnostic Laboratory (CVRDL) with a testing capacity of 3,000 samples per day, set up at a cost of `1.73 crore. Chief Secretary TM Vijay Bhaskar had recently appreciated the hospital for having the best CVRDL in the state. Currently, HIMS has 400 beds, all with oxygen supply, and adequate clinical and non-clinical facilities.
It now has the sufficient oxygen supply with 18 oxygen tanker with a capacity of 13,000 litres and 60 ventilators. Around 90% of the district’s 27,500 patients so far, were treated at HIMS, and only about 10% chose any of the 60 private hospitals in the district. HIMS also has a full-fledged teaching and non-teaching staff such as clinical technicians. The government recently increased the intake of medical seats from 100 to 150.
A state government
employee, Shivakumar, was admitted to HIMS after he tested positive for Covid. He said he was in good hands throughout his illness.