Bengaluru : Amid a spike in COVID-19 cases in Karnataka, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah chaired a high-level review meeting on Wednesday, expressing concern over private hospitals allegedly charging exorbitant fees for COVID-19 testing. He directed health authorities to initiate an investigation into the issue, according to a press release from the Chief Minister’s Office.
Key Updates from the Review Meeting:
- 5,000 COVID-19 tests were conducted over the past 10 days, out of which 862 cases tested positive.
- 11 deaths were reported, but COVID-19 was not the cause in 10 cases, with one case still under audit.
- CM Siddaramaiah instructed officials to avoid creating unnecessary panic and to ensure hospital preparedness for managing COVID-19 cases.
- He emphasized inter-departmental coordination, especially between the Health Department and Medical Education Department.
Participants at the Meeting:
The meeting was attended by Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao, CM’s Political Secretary Nasir Ahmed, Chief Secretary Shalini Rajneesh, and Additional Chief Secretary Anjum Parwez, among others.
National Context:
As reported earlier by Medical Dialogues, the Union Health Ministry has issued directives to all states in view of the rising cases, urging readiness with oxygen supply, isolation beds, ventilators, and essential medicines. National-level reviews led by DGHS Dr. Sunita Sharma included inputs from bodies such as the ICMR, NCDC, and IDSP.
The CM’s stern stance highlights the state’s commitment to maintaining transparency and affordability in healthcare, especially as COVID-19 cases show signs of resurgence.
