Covid guidelines to be implemented strictly from Feb 22 in Karnataka: K Sudhakar

In the wake of increasing Covid-19 cases in neighbouring Maharashtra and Kerala states, Health and Family Welfare and Medical Education Minister Dr K Sudhakar said on Sunday that the guidelines released on Saturday to check Covid-19 cases will strictly be implemented from Monday in the districts bordering Maharashtra and Kerala.

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Speaking to media persons here on the sidelines of the inauguration of the administrative building of Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences regional centre, he stated stricter measures will be taken to implement the guidelines. The government has no plans to reintroduce lockdown, the minister reiterated.

Deadline must not be set

On the demand for reservation by Panchamasali seers, Sudhakar said Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa has told a decision will be taken in the ambit of law. After consulting legal experts, he will try to do justice to the communities which are deprived of facilities.

"It is unfair to set a deadline to the government to fulfil their demand. Providing reservation is a sensitive issue and hence, a decision have to be taken without doing injustice to other communities, he opined.

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Regarding the establishment of the branch of All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Kalyana Karnataka, the minister said the centre has been appealed to sanction two AIIMS to the state-one for Kalyana Karnataka and another for North Karnataka.

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has been appealed in this regard on Saturday. Let us see what kind of decision the centre will take, he added.

AIIMS model reg centres

Delivering the inaugural address at RGUHS's new regional centre, the minister said on the model of AIIMS, the state government has proposed to set up nephrology, urology, cancer and trauma centres in the old hospital buildings in the regional headquarters.

There is a proposal before the government to appoint two or three doctors at Primary Health Centres by recruiting more doctors.

The process of recruiting over 2000 doctors is underway, he explained exuding confidence that the chief minister will announce 100 more PHCs to the state in the upcoming budget.

Expressing his displeasure over the health care workers who are hesitating to receive Covid vaccine, he said about 60 % of health workers have taken the jab and the remaining 40% are yet to turn up to receive the vaccine which is safe. There is a demand for the indigenous vaccine in 25 foreign countries, he added.