Infosys foundation chairman Sudha Murty wrote to the Karnataka government on Thursday, stating that the foundation, along with the chairman of Narayana Health Dr Devi Shetty, would like to work with them to prevent the spread of coronavirus.
The letter states that private hospitals will not be able to manage the load ‘if such epidemic hits’. For this, the Infosys Foundation has asked for a government hospital with 500-700 beds to be readied, which uses oxygen lines and pipes.
“Infosys Foundation will do the civil work and Dr Devi Shetty has agreed to share resources like medical equipment,” the letter states.
The letter, signed by Sudha Murty, also lays out preventive measures that they believe needs to be undertaken to curb the spread of coronavirus.
These include —
- Closing all schools and colleges immediately.
- Shuttering malls, theatres and all air-conditioned areas.
- Keeping only essential service stores such as pharmacies, grocery stores and petrol bunks open
The Economic Times reported that CM BS Yediyurappa has responded to the letter, and a meeting of senior officials will include Sudha Murty and Devi Shetty. The report added that Murty spoke to ministers in the Yediyurappa cabinet, and offered help from the Infosys foundation.
However, it was under question about where those removed would go.
Murty’s recommendation to close all schools and colleges has already been implemented in part. Last week, an indefinite holiday was declared for those till class five.
On Thursday, Primary and Secondary Education Minister S Suresh Kumar also directed all schools to suspend classes immediately, and only come to school for the examinations. Board exams will be held as usual.
Another recommendation made, of separate hospitals for COVID-19, is something that the government is looking at. Karnataka Medical Education Minister Dr K Sudhakar earlier told TNM that the government is looking at opening a separate hospital so that patients can be kept in quarantine, as well as setting up isolation beds at eight hospitals.
“We are yet to decide the place and how many beds. This is to ensure that all those who need to be isolated can be in one facility and reduce the spread of the virus,” he had said.
(This story was first published in The News Minute and has been republished with permission)
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