Bengaluru private hospitals’ body to submit critical report on Covid today

The Private Hospitals’ and Nursing Homes’ Association is set to submit a report to municipal authorities on Wednesday, detailing recommendations to contain the possible surge of the third wave of the Covid pandemic.

Dr H M Prasanna, president, PHANA, explained that the 30-page report would make critical suggestions to help the municipality tackle any sharp increase in cases.

The report will detail the challenge and problems faced by private hospitals in the second wave, he added.

“The report focuses on several aspects: scaling up human resources, augmenting critical care services, measures to extend vaccination coverage and the mapping of oxygen and drug supply chains,” he told DH.

“Augmenting the infrastructure means increasing the number of ICU and HDU beds while also improving the supply chain involved in delivering consumables such as medicines.”

“We are also asking the government to set up special distribution centres in each district, to minimise delays in the supply of oxygen, drugs and other medical supplies during the third wave,” Dr Prasanna added.

CORONAVIRUS SPECIAL COVERAGE ONLY ON DH

Dr Rajasekhar Y L, Secretary, PHANA, said that as the second wave had been thoroughly analysed, issues not encountered in the past needed to be reassessed.

“It is best to appoint nodal officers as the government has identified a large number of private hospitals to treat Covid. This was also mentioned in the report,” he added.

In addition to the preparations for the third wave, the report will also stress that enhanced cooperation will be required by the government. PHAN added that it now sees the further refinement of all collaborative measures as being critical to mitigating the effects of the third wave.

Among the members of the committee are: gynaecologist Dr Hema Diwakar (chairperson), Dr K S Satish (president, Karnataka Pulmonology Association), the noted virologist Dr V Ravi, Dr Yatheesh Govindaiah (Assistant Director, Apollo Hospitals, Karnataka), Dr Chethana (a public health expert), Dr Yoganand Reddy (a paediatrician in the Indian Medical Association) and Dr Pallavi, a public health expert at RGUHS. The committee has already met seven times.