Karnataka govt talks tough against denial of Covid-19 treatment

Medical Education Minister K Sudhakar on Sunday said criminal proceedings will be initiated against hospitals refusing to treat Covid-19 patients, while warning of a surge in cases in the coming days.

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There have been instances of Covid-19 patients being denied treatment by hospitals. Patients can consult a 24x7 helpline ‘1912’ for any such complaints, he said.

Sudhakar also said private hospitals had handed over only 117 of the 2,734 beds promised by them to the government. “As per our information, a total of 898 Covid patients are admitted at private hospitals. The managements should stick to their word and allot the beds promised to the government,” he said.

The minister said that cases will rise in the coming days, but asked people not to panic. “More people are killed due to tuberculosis every year,” he said, adding that the situation was under control in Bengaluru. A total of 400 ambulances are deployed in Bengaluru to transport Covid-19 patients alone, he said.

Sudhakar said that 80 state-run labs were testing samples in Karnataka. “Private labs have not taken any testing load. Rules will be framed soon for private labs to test the samples sent by the government,” he said.

Senior citizens

With cases on the rise in Bengaluru, the government is mulling legislation on quarantining senior citizens above 60 years of age in their homes. Sudhakar said that it is a challenge to prevent transmission of the disease to senior citizens.
“We are discussing with experts about the issue and will take a call soon,” he said.

Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai promised more facilities for Covid-19 patients in the coming days. “We need 500 more ambulances. Two ambulances are deputed per ward now, which has to be increased to four per ward,” he said.

On reports of people leaving Bengaluru over lockdown rumours, Bommai said that travel will increase cases in rural areas.