Karnataka: Social workers request meeting with Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa

Bengaluru: A letter has been written to Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa by Naavu Bharateeyaru, a network of social workers across Karnataka requesting for an urgent online meeting between the government and civil society to see how they can work together to minimize people's distress during the pandemic.

The members alleged that despite several notifications from the government, there hasn't been one comprehensive policy which enables citizens to understand the government's approach. Hence, they demanded for a clear policy which should be announced after discussions with the civil society, and its important elements to be prominently displayed on hoardings at public spaces and hospitals. They demanded for a helpline in multiple languages with updated information. Members said that as per protocol, tertiary care and super specialty hospitals need to be reserved strictly for patients with severe problems, including those with pre-existing health conditions which could aggravate Covid-19 infection.

Regulation and oversight of private hospitals, acute shortage of health workers, protection of healthcare workers, and ongoing care for non-Covid patients are the other concerns the forum wants to address before government officials.