Peek into Karnataka Government's secret sauce to tackle COVID-19; check out its 15-step plan

Karnataka has been grappling with a shortage of beds for quite some time, now more than ever as the state faces the heat of the second wave of COVID-19. Bengaluru has emerged as an epicenter of COVID-19 cases. A record number of fresh cases, acute shortage of hospital beds, oxygen and overwhelmed crematoriums and burial grounds paint a grim picture.

The state government has been under immense pressure to tackle the situation. Taking note of the prevailing situation, Karnataka CM BS Yediyurappa held a meeting with healthcare experts on Sunday to review COVID-19 measures.

Tackling COVID in Karnataka

Karnataka Deputy CM gave highlights of how the state government is tackling the prevailing COVID situation in the state. Take a look at the steps that would be taken to fight the second wave of the virus below:

1. Steps would be taken on converting hotels with oxygenated beds into step-down hospitals by using oxygen concentrators.
2. Measures would be taken to convert beds with a centralized oxygenated system into ICU beds.
3. In order to overcome medical human resource shortage, steps would be taken to bring in final year medical & nursing students to treat Covid19 patients by providing incentives. To support the same, final year exams have been postponed & steps will be taken to provide incentives for such students.
4. Steps will be taken to consider final year students of Nursing, Pharmacy, Physiotherapy, AYUSH Practices, Dental & Hospital Management for COVID duty.
5. Measures will be taken to consider students who have completed medical degree abroad to register with Karnataka Medical Council for Covid duty at a later stage.
6. Working on to strengthen the telemedicine facility in partnership with private hospitals to continue the treatment of asymptomatic patients at home isolation, with an effective triaging to minimize the hospitalisation & to treat the severe cases in the hospital.
7. Steps to be taken to convert the Medical Colleges hostel beds into Oxygenated Beds.
8. The government would provide financial assistance to Private Colleges in order to establish Oxygen Generation Plants.
9. Less experienced medical personnel would be identified and measures would be taken on their effective utilisation.
10. A suitable audit system would be implemented to avoid extensive and unnecessary utilisation of Remdesivir and oxygen in hospitals.
11. The decision has been taken for the formation of an expert panel to effectively tackle 3rd wave of COVID-19.
12. Expediting the Vaccination Drive.
13. Decision will be taken to give incentive hike for the physicians engaged in the treatment of COVID19 patients.
14. Measures are being taken to treat the medical personnel at Govt cost, if they get infected on duty.
15. If final year medical students are considered for COVID duty, they will be vaccinated on priority.