<p>Medical Education Minister Dr K Sudhakar warned that those private medical colleges in various districts of the state who are dilly-dallying on setting up Covid-19 testing facilities will lose their license. There are 52 private medical colleges in the state.</p>.<p>"There are two categories of medical colleges in the state: One, those who have set up Covid-19 testing facilities and two, those who haven't started testing samples despite setting up labs. The Medical Council of India (MCI) has given us powers to take legal action against them. The CM has instructed us to write to the MCI regarding them," Sudhakar said.</p>.<p>According to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) website, there are 83 Covid-19 testing facilities in Karnataka out of which only 39 are private. "In the past four months, we have conducted several meetings with the managements of private medical colleges. Even after MCI's directions, if you do not set up testing facilities, it is legally untenable," he said.</p>.<p>Notices issued to two Bengaluru private hospitals Apollo Hospital, Jayanagar, and Vikram Hospital, Cunningham Road, were sent show cause notices by the state health department on Monday and were asked to reply within a day. The allegations were that they weren't treating ILI and SARI cases, and that they hadn't reserved 50% of their beds for Covid-19 treatment. Bengaluru Urban District Health Officer Dr Srinivas GA visited both the hospitals on Monday evening.</p>.<p>While Vikram Hospital's executive assistant to the CEO, Kamala Tulsidas, confirmed to DH that they had received the notice but needed time to go through the notice and reply, Dr Govindaiah Yatheesh, Apollo Speciality hospital, Jayanagar unit head told DH that their hospital hadn't denied treatment to any SARI or ILI patients.</p>.<p>On the second allegation that the hospital hadn't reserved 50% beds for Covid-19 treatment, Yatheesh said, "We have reserved the entire Jayanagar unit for Covid-19 treatment. Currently, 60 Covid-19 patients are undergoing treatment at the hospital. While nine of them have been referred by the government, the other 51 came directly to our hospital with ILI and SARI symptoms. When they tested positive for Covid-19, they continued their treatment here. When these patients get discharged we can accommodate more patients referred by the government."</p>
<p>Medical Education Minister Dr K Sudhakar warned that those private medical colleges in various districts of the state who are dilly-dallying on setting up Covid-19 testing facilities will lose their license. There are 52 private medical colleges in the state.</p>.<p>"There are two categories of medical colleges in the state: One, those who have set up Covid-19 testing facilities and two, those who haven't started testing samples despite setting up labs. The Medical Council of India (MCI) has given us powers to take legal action against them. The CM has instructed us to write to the MCI regarding them," Sudhakar said.</p>.<p>According to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) website, there are 83 Covid-19 testing facilities in Karnataka out of which only 39 are private. "In the past four months, we have conducted several meetings with the managements of private medical colleges. Even after MCI's directions, if you do not set up testing facilities, it is legally untenable," he said.</p>.<p>Notices issued to two Bengaluru private hospitals Apollo Hospital, Jayanagar, and Vikram Hospital, Cunningham Road, were sent show cause notices by the state health department on Monday and were asked to reply within a day. The allegations were that they weren't treating ILI and SARI cases, and that they hadn't reserved 50% of their beds for Covid-19 treatment. Bengaluru Urban District Health Officer Dr Srinivas GA visited both the hospitals on Monday evening.</p>.<p>While Vikram Hospital's executive assistant to the CEO, Kamala Tulsidas, confirmed to DH that they had received the notice but needed time to go through the notice and reply, Dr Govindaiah Yatheesh, Apollo Speciality hospital, Jayanagar unit head told DH that their hospital hadn't denied treatment to any SARI or ILI patients.</p>.<p>On the second allegation that the hospital hadn't reserved 50% beds for Covid-19 treatment, Yatheesh said, "We have reserved the entire Jayanagar unit for Covid-19 treatment. Currently, 60 Covid-19 patients are undergoing treatment at the hospital. While nine of them have been referred by the government, the other 51 came directly to our hospital with ILI and SARI symptoms. When they tested positive for Covid-19, they continued their treatment here. When these patients get discharged we can accommodate more patients referred by the government."</p>
