Bengaluru : Chief Minister Mr BS Yediyurappa inaugurated a makeshift hospital at Doddaballapur which was constructed in a record time.

Speaking on the occasion, Revenue Minister Mr Ashoka said that it was a special day for Doddaballapur as it now has a full-fledged makeshift hospital to treat patients. “We have three medical colleges in Bengaluru Rural district; Nelamangala, Devanahalli and Hoskote. However, Doddaballapur didn’t have one. So, we decided to construct the makeshift hospital here. Though 50 such makeshift hospitals have been approved across the country including three in Karnataka, Doddaballapur hospital is the first one to be inaugurated in the country and this credit should go to Bengaluru Rural DC K Srinivas and his team.”

Mr R Ashoka said that this was a revolutionary concept in the whole of the country to set up a hospital in such a short span of time. “This hospital will have the entire required health infrastructure. We are ramping up the health facilities to face the possible third wave especially at a time when the experts are warning that the children may be the most affected in the possible third wave. I can say that this hospital will act as a Sanjeevini for Doddaballapur and neighbouring areas”, he said adding; “The recently launched programme of doctors heading towards rural areas has been a great success in identifying the Covid patients and providing timely treatment. This unique project has helped us in identifying the Covid patients who otherwise could have skipped testing and providing the timely treatment to them.”

Mr Ashoka said that Karnataka has turned out to be a model state in controlling Covid situation in the country. “We are already gearing up with a roadmap to tackle the possible third wave. We have begun a survey of malnourished children. These children will be identified by a team of pediatricians (including ASHA and Anganawadi workers) who will visit villages across the State to identify malnourished children and supply them with nutrition food kits including Badam powder, milk powder, biscuits, multi-vitamin syrup, mask and a dettol soap. There is a severe shortage of paediatricians and hence we are training general doctors to treat kids. We are also setting up children’s hospitals across the State. Earlier, Kerala model was touted as a success in curbing Covid cases however the cases are still rising in the neighbouring state. I feel that the BS Yediyurappa led government has taken the right decisions at the right time and is the true role model in controlling Covid”, he added.