Bengaluru : Revenue Minister Mr R Ashoka inaugurated the Hosakerehalli Covid hospital on Friday. Speaking to the media, Mr Ashoka said that the hospital had a dual system of oxygen supply. Each bed will be equipped with both the low and high flow oxygen. If the Covid patients require low oxygen, supply will be via oxygen concentrator and in case of severity, high flow oxygen can be connected to the same bed. “The Hosakerehalli hospital will be a boon for the Covid patients as it has all the basic amenities and facilities of a big hospital including availability of specialists 24*7”, Mr Ashoka said.

Children’s Hospital
With experts predicting that the kids may be affected in the third wave, the State Government is making all the necessary preparations to ramp up infrastructure. As a first step, a community hall in Hosakerehalli is being converted as a 50-bed children’s hospital. “This hospital will be ready in three months. With kids’ hospitals, we also need to provide alternate arrangements for parents to stay and hence we are looking for a choultry and ramping up facilities”, the Revenue Minister said.

Meanwhile, Mr Ashoka said that the vaccination process was going on smoothly and there was no shortage of vaccines for 45+ age group. Mr Ashoka also inaugurated a ‘Oxygen on Wheels’ bus. This bus will be helpful for patients who are waiting to get admitted. Already, six patients have been benefited already. We will soon have three such buses by connecting it to various hospitals around. Even Asthma patients can be benefited.

The Revenue Minister also visited Indira Canteen in Banashankari. “I have received many complaints over poor quality of food. We will keep paying surprise visits and every MLA has been asked to do so that good food is served at Indira canteens”, the Minister said adding that the global tenders for vaccines were called for bringing in transparency.

Lockdown should be extended

Revenue Minister Mr R Ashoka has favoured extension of the lockdown. Speaking to the media on Friday, he said, “Lockdown has helped us in controlling Covid cases. Earlier, we used to witness around 25,000 Covid cases in Bengaluru which has now come down to 17k. Hence, I favour an extension of lockdown. Even in the worst affected states like Maharashtra and Delhi, lockdown has reduced Covid cases.

He said that the testing will be increased. Revenue Minister Mr R Ashoka said that allegations made by opposition parties on low testing were baseless. “We have not reduced testing. In fact, we have issued guidelines that all the symptomatic, ILI and SARI patients’ needs to be tested. Even the primary contacts of each Covid positive patient will be tested. Currently, we are unable to do mass testing in bus stands other places due to lockdown but we have not reduced testing. Opposition parties are making baseless allegations for political gains. While we are on the streets heeling people, opposition party leaders like Siddarmaiah are sitting at home to make allegations. A meeting chaired by CM BS Yediyurappa will meet three days before the current lockdown ends to take stock of the situation. I will suggest extension of lockdown but the final decision will be taken by the CM.”