Medical students to be on Covid duty: Sudhakar

Health Minister Dr K Sudhakar on Thursday said that the state government has decided to utilise the services of medical students to manage the Covid-19 pandemic.

Speaking to reporters here, Sudhakar said he has directed the principal secretary to the medical education department to postpone the examination of final year and postgraduate courses in medicine for two months. House surgeons and final year MBBS students will be deputed on Covid duty and a decision was taken as per the advice of Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa, he said.

'Remdesivir not life-saver

Sudhakar said Remdesivir is not a life-saving drug. "The medicine is in demand, due to publicity. Remdesivir is not in the list, released by World Health Organisation (WHO). Steroids are more effective and Dexamethasone, which costs only 50 paise, is effective. However, as there is a demand for Remdesivir, the government will supply it," he said.

He said that there is a shortage of Remdesivir as only eight or nine companies produce it. The companies had stopped the production from November 2020 to March 2021, as there was no demand for the medicine as Covid cases were less, he added.

'No shortage of oxygen'

Sudhakar said there is no shortage of oxygen and there are 30,000 oxygenated beds in Karnataka. The oxygen problem in Bengaluru is resolved with an additional 40 metric tonnes of oxygen and 5,500 jumbo oxygen cylinders, he said.

'Criminal case for fake Covid certificate'

He warned that criminal cases will be filed against the persons issuing fake Covid-19 reports.

According to reports, one of the laboratories in Bengaluru has issued a fake certificate. "I have instructed Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) commissioner to take immediate action against the laboratory."

However, the minister denied any fake certificate racket and said not to attach importance to the matter as it would hurt the Covid warriors.