Served non-veg to Jain man, airlines asked to pay Rs 20K compensation

Bengaluru, Jun 24: Karnataka Minister of Medical Education Dr K Sudhakar said on Tuesday that the directors of institutions will be held responsible if any there are any complaints and lack of facilities in the treatment of COVID-19 patients.

'Since a couple of days, there are reports in media regarding the admission of COVID-19 patients, lack of hygiene and the supply of sub-standard food to patients. The country is appreciating Karnataka and Bengaluru for controlling the spread of coronavirus. This was possible due to tireless efforts from past several months and these kinds of reports emerging now cannot be tolerated," Sudhakar said.

He added, "There can be no compromise in the treatment of COVID-19 patients. It must be ensured that these kinds of complaints will not be repeated. Directors of hospitals will be held responsible if there are complaints."

The medical education minister further said that asymptomatic patients will be kept in COVID-Care Centres and if they develop symptoms in the care centres, they will be shifted to hospitals for further treatment.

"Since the COVID-19 cases are increasing, private hospitals have been roped in to treat coronavirus patients. Officials have to ensure that beds are reserved and all arrangements are made as per the government order. Guidelines will soon be issued for monitoring asymptomatic cases in COVID care centres," he added.

Karnataka on Tuesday reported 322 fresh COVID-19 positive cases and eight deaths.
According to the state health department, the total number of positive cases has mounted to 9,721 and 150 deaths. So far, 6,004 people have been discharged.

Udupi, Mar 11: An elderly woman, who had recently visited Saudi Arabia has been admitted to an isolation ward at KMC in Manipal, here with symptoms of fever, cough and breathlessness.

The 68-year-old woman hails from Sagar taluk in Shivamogga district of Karnataka.

The patient had travelled to Saudi Arabia in the last week of February and was treated for fever cough and breathlessness there.

After recovery, she had travelled back to Bengaluru, where she was screened at the airport. 

Later, she reached Shivamogga where she was treated at Nanjappa Hospital for symptoms of fever, cough. 

As she has symptoms of coronavirus, she is quarantined and is under observation. The samples will have been sent to Bengaluru and the result is awaited.

Bengaluru, May 27: Amid uncertainty caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, which has disrupted school education in Karnataka, the state government is seeking the help of the Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting to televise classes, a state minister said on Tuesday.

"We request you to provide minimum three channels on the Doordarshan network exclusively for the Department of Public Instruction, Government of Karnataka," Primary and Secondary Education Minister Suresh Kumar said in a letter to Union I&B Minister Prakash Javadekar.

Suggesting co-branding the channels under DD and the state education department, he asked for the channels to be mandatorily transmitted by the cable and DTH operators under the Cable Act.

The state education department has already discussed with Prasar Bharti officials, who, according Kumar, have assured 3+3 hours of timeslots on the education channel Chandana on cost basis.

"We have also made all the necessary arrangements for content creation by the teachers," he said.

Meanwhile, the minister has revealed that television is the best medium for the students as a home learning mode in these challenging times.

"The department of public instruction reviewed various technological options and considered TV as one of the best means for home learning," Kumar said.

In a survey conducted by the education department, it was found out that 95 per cent households had television sets.

Kumar said the state operates government schools in nine languages, including Kannada, English and Urdu.

"To cater to all the students, and considering a long-term strategy to run schools by maintaining social distancing, we are in immediate need of minimum three exclusive channels to teach through TV," he said.

According to Kumar, the Karnataka government is facing hardships to meet the capital expenditure requirements, hence, it is seeking help from the I&B Ministry.