Now dial 1912 anytime of the day if a hospital denies bed

Karnataka Government got into damage-control mode after Covid patients died in Bengaluru while waiting for ambulances. Now, one needs to dial 108 for ambulance and 1912 if admission is denied by a hospital.

After bitter backlash by the people, the state also brought about a mechanism to shift patients and inform them about bed allocation. As the number of cases in and around the city rises, shifting of Covid-19 positive cases, serious Covid suspects who have given their swabs but are awaiting results and SARI cases to appropriate medical facilities and ensuring that they are admitted and treated properly is of paramount importance.

There should not be any more unfortunate cases of denial of treatment. 108-Arogya Kavacha is responsible for shifting patients in distress. This will include shifting to Covid Care Centers (CCC) and hospitals (except shifting between two private facilities). They are also responsible for receiving distress calls with respect to Covid or SARI (breathlessness).

The Covid positive patient or Covid suspect should be shifted (using sample referral form (SRF) lD, provided by ICMR) in consultation with BBMP's bed allocation team. The 108 ambulance should shift such patients using an Advanced Life Support (ALS) ambulance with adequate manpower and personal protective equipment.

However if the patient is breathless (may be due to Covid or due to other conditions like COPD, asthma, ILI etc) and has not undergone Covid test, he/she should be immediately shifted to a Covid-19 hospital assuming that it can be a Covid-19 case. The patient shall be admitted in the hospital and treated. As per testing protocol for
Covid-19, compulsory Covid tests should be done on such patients.

After the test, if patients turn out Covid positive, he/she should be shifted from isolation to Covid-section and treated as per Covid treatment protocol. However, if such a patient is Covid-negative, then from the isolation ward, he/she should be shifted to non-Covid section and treated accordingly. The cost of medical treatment for non- COVID patients will be according to
Ayushman Bharat-Arogya Karnataka scheme, other insurance schemes, cash etc.

It is likely that a Covid-19 patient who is asymptomatic with no underlying medical condition calls 108. All such calls can be transferred to BBMP's bed allocation team for necessary transportation and bed allocation. The 24/7 toll free call centre -- 1912 should receive grievances related to denial of admission in hospitals/Covid Care Centres for Covid-19 patients or SARI patients.