Bengaluru: Private hospitals told to display bed position

Bengaluru: The government of Karnataka has issued notification mandating reservation of 50% of the beds in private hospitals for treatment of COVID-19 patients referred by public health authorities.

However, some patients are finding difficulty in getting beds even after the allocation is made by the central allocation system of BBMP. This is causing a lot of hardship to patients.

In view of this, chief secretary P Ravi Kumar has issued a circular making it mandatory for all hospitals registered under K.P.M.E in Karnataka state to display at the reception counter, bed allocation display board, which should have the following details: Name of the hospital; total number of beds (as per K.P.M.E registration); number of beds allocated for COVID-19 patients referred by BBMP (minimum 50% of total hospital beds).

"The above data must match with that of the central bed allocation system of BBMP. The availability of essential medicines and provision of help desk in all the hospitals for helping COVID-19 positive persons shall also be provided. Similar arrangements shall be made in all the health care institutions in districts with immediate effect," the circular read.

On Saturday, Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa held a meeting with the governing body of MS Ramaiah Hospital, Bengaluru on Saturday. A total of 850 beds have been earmarked for the treatment of COVID patients, including 450 ICU and oxygenated beds at MS Ramaiah Hospital.

"To facilitate treatment of COVID-19 patients, 4,000 ICU beds will be set up in Bengaluru on a war footing. 500 ICU beds in each of the 8 BBMP zones will augment the healthcare infrastructure and reduce the caseload on existing hospitals," Yediyurappa said.