• 135-bed care facility will be run by local leaders, Moulvis and volunteers 
• Infected frontline COVID warriors being treated at Vikram Jeshta Hospital

Mysore/Mysuru: A full-fledged private COVID Care Centre — first in the series of three — opened in Narasimharaja (NR) Assembly Constituency this morning. The three private care facilities are aimed at controlling the spread of COVID-19 in the Constituency and notably local leaders, religious heads, Moulvis and voluntary organisations have come forward to set up and maintain these centres. 

The first COVID Care Centre has been set up at  Farooqia Women’s Polytechnic in Udayagiri and the subsequent ones will come up at Andalus Public School in Rajivnagar and Beedi Workers Mazdoor Hospital in Azeez Sait Nagar. This initiative is in association with District Administration, Mysuru City Corporation, Health and Family Welfare Department, elected representatives and local political and religious leaders. 

Deputy Commissioner Abhiram G. Sankar inspected and inaugurated the Farooqia Women’s Polytechnic care facility this morning. The institution has been converted into a 135-bed care facility and in all the three COVID Care Centres, a minimum of 450 patients can be accommodated. 

These facilities are in addition to the care centres being set up by the District Administration in view of rising number of cases. While the Farooqia Women’s Polytechnic has been readied and opened, the other two facilities would be converted into care centres soon. 

Former Mayor Ayub Khan told Star of Mysore that Secretary of Farooqia Women’s Polytechnic Taj Mohammad Khan, Head of Andalus Public School Nazir and General Secretary of Mysuru Beedi Workers Association Shoukath Pasha — responsible for the 50-bed Beedi Workers Mazdoor Hospital run by Central Government — have agreed to use the infrastructure to treat COVID-19 patients. 

The Administration and the Mysuru City Corporation have provided beds, cots, pillows, ventilators, medical equipment, medicines and bed spreads and the facilities have been thoroughly cleaned and sanitised to accommodate patients. Ayub Khan said that to fulfil the food and water requirements of the COVID Care Centres, local organisations, Moulvis and voluntary groups have come forward to donate money and see to it that nutritious food is supplied to the patients. 

“Doctors to treat the patients will be provided by us along with a dedicated team of volunteers who will function 24×7 at the COVID Care Centres. We will keep a close coordination with the District Administration and doctors from the Health and Family Welfare Department and follow the protocol laid down to treat the patients. Food and water will be supplied to the patients as per guidelines,” he said. 

Apart from those who test positive in Narasimharaja, patients from other areas too will be admitted in these facilities irrespective of caste and creed, Ayub Khan added. 

Complimenting local leaders, religious heads and elected representatives, the DC said that this was the time for local associations to take the initiative of strengthening the COVID care infrastructure. “With 450 beds in Narasimharaja, the District Administration will get a big boost in its fight against pandemic,” he said. 

Religious leaders and heads of voluntary service organisations have assured the DC that they would extend all possible help to the District Administration to control the disease. MCC Works Committee President Asrathulla Khan, former Corporator Shoukath Pasha and leaders including Sadiq and Taj Mohammad Khan, political leaders from Kyathamaranahalli and others were present. 

MLA to donate oxygen cylinders

NR MLA Tanveer Sait has informed that he would donate oxygen cylinders, flu metres, masks and other equipment to all the three COVID Care Centres in his Constituency. He said that he is doing this in his personal capacity to contain the spread of the disease.