A few weeks back when the country was dealing with the gruesome second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic with hospitals running over-capacity along with massive shortage of health care facilities, medicines and oxygen, many corporates across India pitched in to help in COVID relief efforts.
These initiatives were spearheaded by senior IAS officer Dr PS Harsha, commissioner of the Department of Information and Public Relations (DIPR), who was given the responsibility to add 4,000 ICU beds last May by leveraging the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives of the private companies. The task also included providing financial assistance to ramp up health infrastructure in private hospitals.
As many as 1833 deaths were reported in the city during the period. This is in contrast to the 1793 deaths reported from May 17-23 and 1292 deaths recorded between May 10-16.
Express News Service
BENGALURU: As the Covid second wave rages on, private hospitals are asking patients to hunt for ICU beds on their own. A woman Covid patient, 44-yearold Chandra Kumari (name changed), who was being treated at Ravi Kirloskar Hospital, was told to find an ICU bed as her condition started deteriorating with her oxygen saturation levels dipping.
When her family members called up the BBMP helpline, they were told to go to a hospital in Rajarajeshwarinagar where she had been allocated a bed. As they were getting ready to leave, the hospital called them up and asked them not to come as no ICU beds were available. The anxious relatives had not found a bed, even 24 hours after the search.