D.V. Sadananda Gowda holds high-level meeting at Vidhana Soudha

Bengaluru: The Union Government is ready to help the State Government to extend all help like medicines, vaccines and oxygen to fight against the deadly COVID-19 pandemic, said Union Minister for Chemicals and Fertiliser D.V. Sadananda Gowda.

He was presiding over a high-level meeting held in Vidhana Soudha here to take stock of Covid-19 situation in Karnataka in which Health and Medical Education Minister Dr. K. Sudhakar, Chief Secretary P. Ravikumar, Additional Chief Secretary (Health) Jawaid Akther, Chief Minister’s Principal Secretary Raman Reddy and others attended. 

The Union Minister said everyone must work unitedly to trounce this virus. The Government of India was always ready to provide any help to the State. But the State Officers must be in constant touch with the Centre on Corona situation and requirement of medicines such as Remdesivir injection. A Senior Officer has been stationed at his office in New Delhi to provide all help to State, he said.

Later, talking to reporters, Sadananda Gowda said Karnataka had placed a demand for one lakh vials of Remdesivir injection for use till Apr. 30. But, already 1.22 lakh vials had been allotted. Similarly, 800 metric tonnes of oxygen has been made available to the State. The allotment of Remdesivir injection was made on the basis of patients and for this reason, only 25,000 vials has been given, he said.

 In the meantime, Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa wanted more quantity of injection following surge in Corona positive cases. After his intervention, Karnataka was allotted an additional 25,000 vials of Remdesivir injection, he added. Many States had argued that the quantity of Remdesivir injection must not be decided on the basis of oxygen usage but on the number of Corona positive patients. Accordingly, a new system of allotment of Remdesivir has been followed, he noted.

More vaccine 

The Union Minister said the State has sought additional allotment of vaccine to speed up the vaccination drive. Presently, around 2.5 lakh people were vaccinated daily and they want to increase it to four lakh daily. The additional demand for vaccines and oxygen will be discussed in the next Union Cabinet meeting, he said.

Tough situation 

Sadananda Gowda said Bengaluru city has been hit badly in second Covid-19 wave with highest number of positive cases daily. Experts have opined prevalence of such a situation in the next ten days. The weekend curfew has been successful throughout the State and a decision to extend this curfew during week days was left to the wisdom of the CM and his Cabinet colleagues, he  observed.