Karnataka govt geared to mitigate impact of possible COVID19 second wave: Health Minister K Sudhakar
Bengaluru, Mar 18: The Karnataka government is prepared to tackle and mitigate the impact of a possible second wave of COVID-19 and healthcare workers and officials are set to work in a mission mode in the next 50 days, Health and Medical Education Minister K Sudhakar said on Thursday.
Chairing a meeting of senior officials and heads of key government hospitals to discuss the course of action in the wake of the uptick in fresh cases in recent days, he also emphasised on ramping up vaccine coverage and appealed to the public to follow precautions and not let the guard down.
Announcing measures, including recruitment of doctors and paramedical staff on a temporary basis, to strengthen the healthcare system, he said a 1,000-bed Covid Care Centre was being readied here and it would become operational by Monday.
"A few days ago nearly 2.5 lakh inoculations were done in a day. So it is possible to ramp up coverage and a target has been set to vaccinate 3 lakh people per day. If we vaccinate senior citizens and people above 45 with comorbidities, we can mitigate the second wave," an official release quoted him as saying.
Karnataka reported over 1,000 new cases of COVID-19 for the second straight day on Wednesday, taking the cumulative caseload to 9,63,614, including 12,407 deaths and 9,40,968 discharges. The number of active cases stood at 10,220.
Noting that 200 ambulances have been deployed in the state capital to ensure easy availability during emergency, Sudhakar said the "War Room" will start operating as it was during last year and the government will monitor the situation using real-time data.
Decision has been made to recruit resident doctors and paramedical staff on a temporary basis, he said.
"There was a lack of information and awareness when the pandemic hit us last year. Yet, we were successful in controlling the pandemic. We are now anticipating a possible second wave and preparing to fight it. We also have the advantage of vaccines now which we didn't have last year," he said.
The government will hold the first round of discussion with private hospitals this week to reserve beds for treatment of COVID-19 patients, the Minister said, adding they would be asked to ensure sufficient availability in case the infection spread further.
The heads of respective institutions will be held accountable for any lapses, he warned.
The Health Minister also said he has instructed officials to ensure that vaccine doses were not wasted, adding he will personally monitor it on a daily basis.
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Inappropriate for MLAs seeking free IPL tickets, says D.K. Suresh
Bengaluru: Bengaluru Milk Union Ltd President D.K. Suresh on Monday said it is inappropriate for MLAs to seek free IPL tickets, adding that those interested in watching matches should pay for them personally.
Speaking to reporters near his residence in Sadashivanagar, he said, “IPL is a commercial tournament and does not represent the country. It is not right for public representatives to focus too much on such matters.”
Referring to the recent controversy during the RCB celebrations, he said, “let us find out who benefited the most from the statements made during the incident.” He also pointed out that BJP MLAs had received IPL tickets as well.
Responding to discussions about relocating the Chinnaswamy Stadium, Suresh said the government has already approved the construction of a new stadium at a location he had proposed.
“I had suggested building a stadium in Surya City and submitted a proposal for it. Bengaluru needs four stadiums in four directions to cater to its growing population and encourage youth participation in sports,” he said.
He noted that apart from Kanteerava Stadium, KSCA, and the Football Stadium, there are limited facilities in the city.
“When I was a Lok Sabha member, I had proposed allocating 100 acres in my constituency at Surya City. The land was later earmarked and the plan approved,” he added.
Suresh said he has discussed the project with Minister Zameer Ahmed Khan, Rajiv Gandhi Housing Corporation Chairman Shivalingegowda, and Anekal MLA Shivanna.
“The Cabinet has now approved the project, and a stadium will be developed on around 50–60 acres,” he said.
He further added that he has requested the Deputy Chief Minister to build another stadium at Shivarama Karanth Layout through the BDA, where 40 acres have been allocated. Plans are also being discussed to develop a well-equipped stadium in Bidadi.
Commending state government's recent bilingual policy move, Suresh said forcing children to learn three languages could affect their comprehension.
“It is a good decision to make two languages compulsory. Learning a third language should be left to the choice of students and parents,” he said.
Responding to criticism from BJP leaders, he said their tendency is to oppose every decision of the government.
“To please their central leadership, they take a pro-Hindi stance. Instead, they should advocate for the adoption of Kannada in all states,” he said.
When asked about the earlier three-language policy under Congress, he said, “the situation is different now. Today, the focus should be on quality learning. Kannada should remain the primary language, while students and parents can choose an additional language.”
