May 14, 2021
2 mins read

Devi Shetty to head Karnataka task force

The Chief Minister said that last year in March, Karnataka was having only 1,970 oxygenated beds, 444 Intensive Care Units (ICUs) beds and 610 ICUs beds with ventilators…reports Asian Lite News.

With a large section of health experts across the country predicting the possibility of a third Covid wave, Karnataka on Thursday decided to set up a high-level task force, headed by famous heart surgeon Dr Devi Prasad Shetty, to prepare for it.

Briefing media about his government’s measures to tackle the Covid outbreak, Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa said that action to ramp up hospital infrastructure is still continuing with more ventilators and other equipment getting added regularly.

“Action is also needed to increase the oxygen generation capacity in the state which helps us be prepared for a potential third wave. We are setting up 127 oxygen generation units in the medical college hospitals, district hospitals and taluka hospitals,” he said.

According to him, the state needs to tackle the third wave as many experts are predicting it and “we cannot ignore it”. “Therefore, we have decided to appoint Dr Devi Prasad Shetty as chairman of this task force, who will bring a lot of domain expertise to handle such a big crisis,” he noted.

The Chief Minister said that last year in March, Karnataka was having only 1,970 oxygenated beds, 444 Intensive Care Units (ICUs) beds and 610 ICUs beds with ventilators.

“With the infrastructure having been ramped up, at present, the state is having more than 24,000 oxygenated beds, 1,145 ICU beds, 2,058 ventilated beds and 1,248 beds with HFNCs,” he said and added that apart from these, the number of oxygen beds has been increased from 4,700 to 9,405.

He also observed that the state government was also giving a subsidy of 70:30 ratio to all private medical college hospitals to increase the number of oxygen beds and set up oxygen generation units.

Yediyurappa added that the state government was procuring about 10,000 oxygen cylinders and of this, already received 730 in the last 15-20 days. “Of this, 380 are given by the Union government and 350 by foreign countries. These cylinders have been allocated to the needy districts,” he said.

ALSO READ-38 and 39-year-olds invited to book for jab

READ MORE-Covid-19 crisis worsens in Nepal

Previous Story

Govt extends Covishield gap to 16 weeks

Next Story

BRICS nations discuss social security pact

Latest from COVID-19

First Covid inquiry report to show plan failures

During the hearings for this module, last year, 69 experts and politicians, including former Prime Minister David Cameron and Health Secretaries Jeremy Hunt and Matt Hancock, gave evidence…reports Asian Lite News The

Biden Positive for COVID-19

Biden is vaccinated and boosted and he is experiencing mild symptoms….reports Asian Lite News US President Joe Biden has tested positive for Covid-19 following his first event in Las Vegas, the White

Kamala Harris’ husband tests positive for Covid

Second Gentleman on Saturday tested positive for Covid-19 after experiencing mild symptoms…reports Asian Lite News US Vice President Kamala Harris’ husband Doug Emhoff recently tested positive for Covid-19, the latter’s office has
Go toTop

Don't Miss

‘BJP conspiring to make Bharat Hindistan’

H.D. Kumaraswamy urged Central government to take back the report

Karnataka Assembly roiled by Ayodhya Ram Mandir issues

Leader of the Opposition R Ashoka criticised the Siddaramaiah administration