COVID-19 Second Wave: Bengaluru Converts Old Buses Into ‘ICU On Wheels’

New Delhi: With an aim to fulfil the demand for oxygen beds for COVID-19 patients in and around Bengaluru, Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation has set up an ‘ICU on Wheels’. A five-bed ICU ambulance has been set up already and the corporation aims to prepare 100 such buses in the next three to four months. The ICU ambulance also has a provision for ventilators. Managing Director of the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation, Mr Shri Shivyogi tells NDTV,

We are converting buses from our existing fleet into ICU on wheels. We thought of this concept about 15-20 days back because there was a huge demand for providing oxygen beds to the COVID-19 patients in and around Bengaluru.

Talking about the level of facilities in the ICU on wheels as compared to an ICU in hospitals, Mr Shivyogi said,

This will be more like a step-down hospital, not an ICU of the exact hospital standard. But, amid the ongoing health crisis, this can really help those who are moderately infected and have oxygen saturation between 85-90 per cent. They can always avail this facility and it will help keep ICU beds vacant for those who need it the most.

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The ambulance is an old bus and these needed to be renovated, so the corporation involved its own human resources which helped them cut the cost down, Mr Shivyogi explained. He said that the main expenditure was the medical equipment and facilities, so it cost them about 8-10 lakh in conversions charges for a bus.

We are in touch with NGOs and Industries for CSR opportunities to take the idea further and convert more than 100 such buses within 2-4 months to help the people of Bengaluru in such a crisis situation.

Karnataka Government is planning to extend this facility to more district headquarters in the state and is encouraging hospitals and NGOs to come forward and help with the channelising of the ‘ICU on Wheels’.

The number of COVID-19 recoveries continues to outnumber fresh infections in Karnataka, as the state on Monday reported 57,333 discharges and 25,311 new cases, as per the health department data. The state yesterday reported 529 more deaths, taking the toll to 25,811, while the total number of infections in the state stood at 24,50,215.

Of the new cases reported Monday, 5,701 were from Bengaluru Urban, as the city saw 34,378 discharges and 297 deaths. As of May 24 evening, cumulatively 24,50,215 COVID-19 positive cases have been confirmed in the state, which includes 25,811 deaths and 19,83,948 discharges, the Health department said in its bulletin. Total number of active cases in the state stood at 4,40,435. While the positivity rate for the day stood at 23.28 per cent, case fatality rate (CFR) was at 2.09 per cent.

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Ballari reported 19 deaths, Bengaluru Rural (18), Belagavi (17), Shivamogga (16), Dharwad (15), followed by others. Mysuru accounted for 2,680 fresh cases, Tumakuru 1,662, Hassan 1,156, Uttara Kannada 1,110, followed by others.

A total of over 2,88,16,043 samples have been tested, of which 1,08,723 were tested on Monday alone.

NDTV – Dettol Banega Swasth India campaign is an extension of the five-year-old Banega Swachh India initiative helmed by Campaign Ambassador Amitabh Bachchan. It aims to spread awareness about critical health issues facing the country. In wake of the current COVID-19 pandemic, the need for WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) is reaffirmed as handwashing is one of the ways to prevent Coronavirus infection and other diseases. The campaign highlights the importance of nutrition and healthcare for women and children to prevent maternal and child mortality, fight malnutrition, stunting, wasting, anaemia and disease prevention through vaccines. Importance of programmes like Public Distribution System (PDS), Mid-day Meal Scheme, POSHAN Abhiyan and the role of Aganwadis and ASHA workers are also covered. Only a Swachh or clean India where toilets are used and open defecation free (ODF) status achieved as part of the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2014, can eradicate diseases like diahorrea and become a Swasth or healthy India. The campaign will continue to cover issues like air pollution, waste management, plastic ban, manual scavenging and sanitation workers and menstrual hygiene.