Bengaluru, The city civic body, Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), has sought the cooperation of private hospitals in tackling Covid-19 pandemic, an official said on Monday.

"In the context of the ongoing public health situation due to unprecedented Covid pandemic, I seek your support and cooperation in tiding over the situation," said BBMP Commissioner B. H. Anil Kumar in a statement.

Kumar said the Department of Health and Family Welfare along with the Directorate of Medical Education and Government of Karnataka have identified fever clinics, supervised isolation centres and dedicated Covid hospitals.

"New spaces are being identified and included as Covid Care Centres, dedicated Covid Health Centres and dedicated Covid hospitals," he said.

Despite the focus on Covid, Kumar admonished private hospitals not to neglect non-Covid essential and critical emergency medical services.

He listed a slew of medical conditions such as cardiac arrest, chronic renal disorders, trauma, multi-organ failures and others which need to be attended to immediately as denial of service will lead to mortality.

Kumar shared the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare guidelines on rational use of personal protection equipment (PPEs) as he suggested healthcare workers running the risk of Covid infection should be provided with the PPEs kits.

According to Kumar, it is mandatory for private hospitals to report all suspected Covid cases, including Severe Acute Respiratory Infection (SARI), Pneumonia and others to the BBMP health administration.

The Commissioner, however, discouraged routine Out Patient health checkups among other directions.