TUMAKURU: A state of the art sports complex implemented during 2018 at the truck terminal here has turned a boon to the administration as it has now been converted into 100-bed COVID Care Centre for asymptomatic patients below the age of 50.
The revenue, health, and the police departments have been working in co-ordination to set up the Centre as four hundred cots have already been supplied to convert them as beds in a phased manner. Two duty doctors in shifts and four staff nurses from the nearby Public Health Centres (PHCs) have been deployed.
The uniforms for patients and PPEs for the staff have been stocked. Sources said that soon television sets may be provided to entertain the patients who get into boredom.
Interestingly, each patient will be given a brand new kettle to ensure that they collect the hot water regularly. "Two oxygen cylinders have been kept for emergency and we will shift the patients to the higher hospital if required," informed Dr Hareesh Gowda NS, the Kottige Gollahalli PHC's doctor who has been posted to the Centre.
"Since there is also a facility for the staff I will be residing here for two weeks as going home daily may prove counterproductive as my parents are aged and ailing with chronic diabetes," he remarked. Another Dr Adityasoochan will be on night duty and the Centre may admit patients from Tuesday onwards.
As its a facility has been created for the sportspersons, the ventilation has been good and there is no scarcity of water as a borewell drilled long time ago yielded good water. The Centre will reduce the pressure on the designated COVID-19 hospital as most of the asymptomatic patients will be accommodated, according to the deputy commissioner Dr K Rakesh Kumar.
The three-story building constructed at an estimated cost of Rs 4.5 crore and was inaugurated on March 24, 2018 by the then law and parliamentary affairs minister TB Jaychandra. But since then it remained abandoned.