The Karnataka government would equip the mega COVID Care Centre (CCC) in the city with all facilities for treating asymptomatic patients an official said on July 16.
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"The mega CCC at the Bangalore International Exhibition Centre (BIEC) in the city's northwest region will soon have 10,100 beds with all facilities, including a cot, fan, bucket, mug and dustbin for patient care," a health department official told IANS here.
Though the city civic body (BBMP), which is in-charge of the CCC, was to arrange the facilities on rental basis at Rs 800 per day or Rs 24 crore a month, the Chief Minister directed it to buy the essentials for the mega centre and use them later at state-run youth hostels in the state. "By purchasing the essential items in bulk at Rs 7,500 per set for 6,500 beds installed at the CCC so far, we will save about Rs 19 crore, as they cost Rs 4.87 crore and can be used in state hostels for needy students," said the official.
The department will also spend an additional Rs 2.5 crore for vinyl flooring in a 7.9-lakh square feet area at the CCC for the welfare of the patients. "The government will rent 19 other non-reusable items required for each bed at Rs 6,500 per month, amounting Rs 4.23 crore, said the official. Inspecting the CCC on July 9, the Chief Minister said for every 100 patients at the facility, one doctor, two nurses, one support staff, one housekeeping person and two civic marshals would be on duty. "The health department will depute 2,200 health warriors, including doctors, nurses, paramedics, housekeeping and security staff to the CCC," he said.
The patients will be served quality food and provided television sets, carom boards and chess boards for recreation. Medical staff will be provided with safety kits for emergency treatment, ICU, ECG, oxygen support, first aid and pharmacy facilities. A 24x7 control room will be set up to monitor the CCC, which will have a tie-up with nearby hospitals for admitting infected patients, as it will have people who are asymptomatic. A laundry unit will be set up to wash blankets and bed-sheets of patients. Segregation and waste disposal will be done systematically.
Accounting for over 60 percent of the COVID-19 cases in the southern state, the city registered 1,975 positive cases on July 15, taking its tally to 22,944, including 17,051 active after 5,455 were discharged so far, with 463 during the day, while 437 died of the infection, with 60 in the last 24 hours.
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