• Slashes cost of COVID-19 testing in Private Labs
• MBBS doctors working on contract basis to get Rs. 80,000 per month
• Government releases Rs. 500 crore for COVID-19 management
• Rs. 2,000 for Government referred cases and Rs. 3,000 for self-reporting cases in Private Labs

Bengaluru: Medical Education Minister Dr. K. Sudhakar has stated that the Government is releasing Rs. 500 crore for COVID-19 management in the State and very soon all Government Hospitals in the State will be converted to COVID Hospitals. Speaking to media after COVID-19 Task Force meeting, he said that the salaries of doctors and nurses under the National Health Mission (NHM) has been hiked in Karnataka, which will be applicable for the next six months. Ayush and Unani doctors will get Rs. 48,000 monthly salary and nurses working in Government Hospitals will get Rs. 30,000 for the next 6 months. MBBS doctors working on contract basis for management of pandemic will get Rs. 80,000 per month. 

“At the meeting, we have decided to try latest medications available on such patients. Approval has been given for additional drugs for the treatment of COVID-19 patients. For rapid antigen testing, the Government has fixed the rates in Private Labs. It has been decreased from Rs. 2,200 to Rs. 2,000 for Government referred cases and from Rs. 4,000 to Rs. 3,000 for self-reporting cases in Private Labs. Number of ICU beds will be increased and Private Hospitals will be reserving 50 per cent of beds for such cases. Four lakh antigen test kits and five lakh swab test kits will be purchased to ramp up the testing,” said Dr. Sudhakar.