Special teams set up to ensure availability of ambulance services in Dharwad

The special teams would also visit private hospitals and inspect the facilities made available there for treatment of COVID-19 patients, Dharwad Deputy Commissioner Nitesh Patil said.

Dharwad Deputy Commissioner Nitesh Patil chairing a District Health Task Force meeting in Dharwad on Thursday. Police Commissioner R. Dileep is seen.

In the wake of complaints about non-availability of ambulances to ferry COVID-19 positive patients to hospitals, the Dharwad district administration has formed special teams for the management of ambulances and Covid Care Centres.

Dharwad Deputy Commissioner Nitesh Patil on Monday said through a release that two special teams had been formed to manage the ambulances and also ensure the availability of beds at the Covid Care Centres. The special teams would also visit private hospitals and inspect the facilities made available there for treatment of COVID-19 patients, he said.

Deputy Director of Land Records Najma Peerzade and Joint Commissioner of Hubballi Dharwad Municipal Corporation Shankaranand Banshankari will head the teams for management of ambulances in twin cities, while the respective tahsildars will manage ambulances in the taluks. The officials can be reached on Ph: 9341015656 and 9242014944, respectively, the release said.

General Manager of HESCOM Ibrahim Maigur and Administrative Officer of DIMHANS Shanmukh and RCH officer S.M. Honkeri have been deputed as in-charge for management of beds and medical requirements at Covid Care Centres. They can be reached on Ph: 9986716666, 8105077333, 8277332970, respectively.

50 % beds

Meanwhile, chairing a meeting of doctors from private hospitals on Monday, Minister for Large and Medium Industries Jagadish Shettar asked them to part with 50 % of their beds to treat COVID-19 patients.

Already, 17 private hospitals have been identified to provide treatment for infected persons in Hubballi-Dharwad.