Makeshift hospitals to be set up quickly: Sudhakar

The State authorities will set up makeshift or modular hospitals to create 2,000 ICU beds capability that can have about 800 to 1,000 ventilators inside 15 days, and has sought the Centre’s permission to import Remdesivir immediately, Health Minister K. Sudhakar mentioned on Friday.

Acknowledging scarcity of oxygen beds, ICU beds and ventilators, particularly in Bengaluru, the Health Minister advised reporters that these make shift hospitals of about 250 to 300 beds every will come up on the premises of tertiary hospitals corresponding to Victoria, Bowring, Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Chest Diseases, Jayadeva, Kidwai, and Nimhans. “Each makeshift hospital will have about 100 ventilator beds.”

The Health Minister mentioned that the State has additionally sought the Centre’s permission to import 2 lakh vials of Remdesivir immediately. “We are awaiting permission. I have also spoken to Union Fertilizer Minister D.V. Sadananda Gowda. We can airlift the entire 2 lakh vials at a time. This will be sufficient for 15 to 20 days and we will also get Central allocation.” The present allocation of Remdesivir to the State isn’t ample, he added.

The Minister mentioned that the State has been receiving 10,000 to 15,000 vials every day during the last three days. Biocon chief Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw has additionally assured supplying about 50,000 to 60,000 vials by the tip of this month, and she or he has already provided 10,000 vials within the final two days.

Dr. Sudhakar mentioned that the well being infrastructure is beneath great stress with individuals not requiring hospitalisation getting admitted. “90 % of the patients need no hospitalisation. There is anxiety among people. The Prime Minister has also asked us to strengthen the home isolation strategy. We have been told that oxygen and Remdesivir production has been increased.”

The Minister mentioned that the State has requested the Centre to provide 1,500 tonnes of oxygen every day from May 1 and 1,000 tonnes of oxygen every day until April 30. “The State government is also proposing to purchase oxygen concentrators, oxygen generators, and portable oxygen equipment. The State will also strengthen telemedicine facilities. We are making efforts on a war footing.”

There are shortcomings, the Minister acknowledged, and mentioned that the second wave had hit the nation instantly. “Even countries such as the U.S. that spend 20% of the GDP on health sector were affected by the pandemic.” Regarding criticism on harsh curfew circumstances, Dr. Sudhakar mentioned a number of nations that confronted a couple of wave have had imposed lockdown for one to one-and-a-half months. “Is it possible to control the pandemic without lockdown? This is not a time for politicising the issue. It is a collective war. There is health emergency in the country.”