Unpreparedness Of Government To Face COVID Second Wave Very Forthcoming : KSLSA Tells Karnataka High Court

In a memo filed before the Karnataka High Court by the Karnataka State Legal Services Authority (KSLSA) giving various suggestions and recommendations, it has noted that unpreparedness on the part of the Government to face the present second wave of Covid is very much forthcoming. There is an acute shortage of ICU beds in Bengaluru. People are dying majorly due to lack of infrastructural arrangements made by the Government authorities."..the unpreparedness on the part of the Government to face the present second wave of Covid is very much forthcoming. It is found that there is acute shortage of ICU beds in Bengaluru. People are dying majorly due to lack of infrastructural arrangements made by the Government authorities", KSLSA told the High Court. Further, it is said that private hospitals are preferring patients from non-government quota as they can charge unlimited fees and that they are hiding their actual strength. Also, private oxygen suppliers are preferring oxygen supply to home instead of hospitals, due to price factor. Accordingly it has suggested strict directions be issued to the private oxygen suppliers and hospitals to cooperate with the Government agency in combating Covid-19 wave. As per the resolution of the meeting dated 28.07.2020 chaired by Justice Aravind Kumar, Judge High Court who is also the Executive Chairman, KSLSA it was resolved to constitute a "State Level Monitoring Committee" headed by Justice A. N. Venugopala Gowda, Former Judge, of the high court for conducting inspection, collecting information from the district/Taluka's, hearing grievances from the public and to prepare an action plan to be taken up by KSLSA for effective implementation of the Schemes during COVID-19 period. Sri. V. P. Baliger, Former IAS Officer and Sri. S. T. Ramesh, Former IPS. Justice K. N. Keshavanarayana, Former Judge of High Court is designated to guide KSLSA in the implementation of NALSA (Legal Services to disaster victims through Legal Services Authorities) Scheme, 2010, thus he is also included as an additional member of the committee. As there is a steep rise in the COVID-19 cases, the "State Level Monitoring Committee '' has felt it appropriate to work for the betterment of victims of COVID-19 disaster. As per the resolution dated 22-04-2021, it was decided that the members of the Committee should inspect a few Hospitals so as to find out the problems faced by the victims of Covid19 disaster at the ground level. By taking necessary precautions, randomly 3 hospitals of Bengaluru are inspected by the Hon'ble Chairman of the Committee. The Chairman of the Committee along with Member Secretary and Public Relation Officer of Karnataka State Legal Services Authority visited --Apollo Specialty Hospital 2) Government General Hospital and 3) Sagar Hospital of Jayanagar area of Bengaluru city. The KSLSA made the following observation and recommendations: # Displaying of real time Data : The State Government may be directed to install "display boards"to display real time Data in all Hospitals and Government Websites, with regard to availability of beds, stock of medical oxygen, life saving drugs such as Remdisivir, cost of such drugs etc. #Need for better coordination between stakeholders: It is observed by the Committee that there is lack of coordination between the stakeholders departments viz., BBMP, Health and Family Welfare Services and Police Department in combating COVID-19 especially in Bengaluru. It is desirable that the concerned departments form coordination Committees at different levels to properly face Covid situation in Bengaluru. There should be regular inspection of the ground situation by the higher officials of the said stakeholders departments. # Issue of Nodal Officers: Although nodal officers are appointed from government service, they are neither provided proper training nor they are made accountable. During the visits by KSLSA absence of nodal officers at the spot disclosed the grey area of handling COVID issue by BBMP. It added "If the nodal officers are not ready to stay back and monitor hospitals, at least there should be some citizen volunteers who can stay in the hospital and coordinate between nodal officers and the patients. Accountability of Nodal officers will ensure that critical patients get BU ID in time. #Managing human resource : In the present crisis situation, to solve the problem of shortage of Doctors, Para Medical Staff, it is appropriate to engage the services of retired doctors, fresh MBBS graduates by providing necessary incentives. The Government may increase the service tenure of health staff who are likely to retire during the Covid period for at least one year. #Monitoring home quarantine patients : Government should be directed to provide proper mechanisms to monitor the Covid patients who are quarantined at home. #Strict...

Unpreparedness Of Government To Face COVID Second Wave Very Forthcoming : KSLSA Tells Karnataka High Court

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