Unpreparedness Of Government To Face COVID Second Wave Very Forthcoming : KSLSA Tells Karnataka 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 directions to the private oxygen suppliers and private hospitals : It is learnt that the private hospitals are preferring patients from Non-Government Quota as they can charge unlimited fees. It is credibly learnt that the private hospitals are hiding their actual bed strength. Further the private oxygen suppliers are preferring oxygen supply to home instead of hospitals, due to price factor.

It is necessary to issue strict directions to the private oxygen suppliers and hospitals to cooperate with the Government agency in combating Covid-19 wave. It is claimed that in Bellary District of Karnataka 812 tonnes of Oxygen is generated every day. It would be proper to direct the State Government to create a green corridor between Bellary and Bengaluru or such places where there is shortage of Oxygen supply, for emergent receipt of medical oxygen.

#Proper supply of life saving drugs : The Government must ensure sufficient supply of 'Remdesivir' and other medicines required to treat Covid–19. During the second wave of Covid-19, the Department of Drug Controllers is vested with the responsibility of supplying the required medicines to all the hospitals.

The department which is undertaking supply of 'Remdesivir' must ensure that some technology is used for equitable distribution of the medicines as per the actual requirement of the hospitals.

#Providing accurate information to the public: It is desirable that some responsible officials from the Government Department or the Minister concerned alone give a media briefing and clears confusion in the minds of the public.

#Providing Social Security to poor sections of the Society: It is necessary that the Government provides food kits, economic packages and social security to such people.

#Providing counselling to the patients and their families: It is observed that the impact of covid-19 pandemic, on the minds of the patients as well as their families is very harsh. It is necessary to provide tele counseling to patients. It is desirable that some reputed counselors or doctors/psychiatrists must provide counseling through TV interviews etc. This would certainly enhance the morale of the general public.

# Strict action against violation of covid-19 protocol : It is unfortunate that most of the political leaders were found violating Covid protocols during the recent election campaign. It is necessary that during the election counting process scheduled to be held on 2nd day of May, 2021 or any other date in future, steps should be taken to strictly follow Covid-19 protocol in the counting place or during victory procession at least for a week or so. If any persons are found violating Covid-19 protocol, then the concerned Deputy Commissioner, Assistant Commissioner or Superintendent of Police, Dy.S.P., as the case may be, must be held responsible.

# 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 an acute shortage of ICU beds in Bengaluru. People are dying majorly due to lack of infrastructural arrangements made by the Government authorities.

The BBMP had built 17 temporary Covid Care Centres during the first wave of COVID. But, at this point of time, it is necessary to create temporary ICU units in the city. The third wave of Covid-19 cannot be ruled out. As such it is necessary for the Government to appropriately prepare for such disasters in future and formulate plans.

The Court in its order dated April 29 recorded the assurance given by the Advocate General Prabhuling K Navadgi that the Hon'ble retired Judges and other members of the Committee as well as the Secretary of KSLSA will be invited to attend the meetings.

The bench said "We make it clear that when the recommendations made from time to time by the Monitoring Committee set up by KSLSA are forwarded to the learned Advocate General and all other stakeholders, the same shall be looked into by all the concerned authorities."