Karnataka: All COVID hospitals to set up step down facilities with hotels

On 20th May, 2021 the Government of Karnataka issued a notification directing all hospitals treating COVID-19 patients including those registered with sAST to set up step-Down facilities by 24th May and empower doctors to recommend eligible patients to such facilities. It was observed that patients who are well on the path of recovery and who do not require 24x7 medical attention/hospitalisation, continue occupying hospital beds thereby creating a shortfall in beds for patients seeking new admissions. Due to this, valuable time is lost in allocating beds to vulnerable patients and patients are deprived access to beds especially the critical care beds.

Therefore, Step-Down facilities are made mandatory for all hospitals especially those with higher critical care beds to enable the treating doctors to make a decision based on the patient's recovery status for shifting them to Step Down facilities well before 10 days. This would result in more beds being made available for critical care patients for timely interventions and treatment at hospitals.

Besides this, the Karnataka government has decided to give free treatment for Mucormycosis (black fungus) patients in the government district hospitals.