• District Minister, State BJP Vice-President and MP inspect Princess Krishnajammanni Super Speciality Hospital
• 89 oxygenated beds readied at new 220-bed Hospital

Mysore/Mysuru: With the district witnessing a spike in the second wave of COVID-19 contagion, Mysuru District Minister S.T. Somashekar and State BJP Vice-President B.Y. Vijayendra, who is the son of Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa, visited the yet to be commissioned Princess Krishnajammanni Super Speciality Hospital building in PKTB Sanatorium premises on KRS road in the city this morning, where 89 oxygenated beds are getting readied for treatment of COVID-patients.

 During the inspection, the Hospital authorities told Somashekar and Vijayendra  that the District Administration and the Health authorities have converted this 220-bed Hospital to a COVID Hospital with 89 oxygenated beds to treat patients, who need oxygen support

Pointing out that at present oxygen will be supplied from the nearby Trauma Care Centre, the officials said that a major oxygen plant will be set up in the Hospital shortly which will cater to the needs of Super Speciality Hospital and PKTB Hospital besides augmenting the existing oxygen facility at Trauma Care Centre.

The Super Speciality Hospital will be the fourth one on KRS Road to treat COVID patients, with the District Hospital, Trauma Care Centre and ESI Hospital, being the three others.

Speaking to press persons after the inspection, Vijayendra said that the oxygenated beds in the Super Speciality Hospital will be ready in a week. 

Maintaining that the Government is doing everything possible to stem the spread of the deadly pandemic, he said that he, along with District Minister Somashekar  held a meeting  earlier today with Private Hospital Managements as there were bed lending issues. Vijayendra said that the Private Hospitals have been appealed  to part with a good number of beds.

Asserting that the Government is fully equipped and  geared up to tackle the COVID crisis on a war-footing, he said that the Chief Minister’s Home Office ‘Krishna’ at Bengaluru has turned out into a State-level COVID War Room. 

Seeking the Co-operation of everyone in this hour of crisis, Vijayendra said that it is not the right  time to reply to the charges of Opposition leaders when the State is battling the unprecedented crisis.

Stating that he will reply to all the charges levelled against him, the Government  and the Chief Minister at an appropriate time, he said that his immediate priority is to tackle the deadly pandemic, which is playing havoc with the lives of people.

District Minister Somashekar said that he has held Corona-related meetings covering all 11 Assembly segments of the district. 

Replying to K.R. Nagar JD(S) MLA S.R. Mahesh’s statement questioning whether the District Minister was alive, Somashekar said that it is the people of the district who will tell whether he was alive or not.

Asserting that he held meeting on COVID issues  with all MLAs of the district, he said that S.R. Mahesh was the lone MLA from the district who did not attend the meeting. 

Contending that he was working day and night for ensuring the health and safety of people of the district, he said that the people are witness to all this and he does not need the MLA’s certificate.

Mysuru-Kodagu MP Pratap Simha, MLA L. Nagendra, former Mayor Sandesh Swamy, PKTB Hospital Medical Superintendent Dr. H.M. Virupaksha, faculty Dr. Jayashekar, K.R. Hospital Medical Superintendent Dr. Rajesh, who is also COVID Nodal Officer and other officials were present.

Somashekar, who has been camping in the city for the past couple of days, is on a Hospital inspection spree, visiting  many major hospitals, including JSS Hospital, Beedi Workers Hospital in Azeez Sait Nagar, which has been converted into a COVID Hospital, Seth Mohandas Tulasidas Hospital on JLB road and the new Super Speciality Hospital.

Meanwhile, it is important to note here that the District Hospital, Jayadeva Hospital, Government Ayurveda Hi-Tech Panchakarma Hospital and Trauma Care Centre, all located on KRS road, was constructed during the previous Congress Government headed by Siddharamaiah, when Vasu was the Chamaraja MLA. The construction of these hospitals has come to the aid of the District Administration as these Hospitals have largely helped in easing the pressure on demands for COVID beds, ICUs and oxygenated beds.

Interestingly, the stretch of KRS road from Akashavani Circle to Royal Inn Junction has turned out into a major Hospital Hub of the State, with as many as nine major Government Hospitals — Railway Hospital, ESI Hospital, PKTB Sanatorium, Jayadeva Hospital, Princess Krishnajammanni  Super Speciality Hospital, Trauma Care Centre, Government Ayurveda Hi-Tech Panchakarma Hospital, Epidemic Diseases (ED) Hospital and District Hospital — located on this stretch.