Udupi model of ”Vatsalya” scheme to be replicated in the state: K’taka CM

PTI, Aug 12, 2021, 6:33 PM IST

Mangaluru: The ”Vatsalya” scheme launched in Udupi district for children will be replicated across Karnataka in view of the apprehensions of some experts that the third wave of COVID-19 may affect kids most, Chief Minister Basavaraj S Bommai said on Thursday.

“In Udupi, ”Vatsalya” (meaning affection) scheme has been launched. The same has to be implemented in Mangaluru and across the State. In the next one and half months a health checkup of all the children will be carried out. Such camps should be held in every school of the state. If there is any shortcoming in the nutrition then it should be improved,” Bommai told reporters here. He opined that the nutrition intake is low among a section of children from economically weaker sections and rural areas leading to their “under-growth”, lack of immunity, and malnourishment.

“In order to identify them, health camps have to be organised. If there is any shortcoming in the nutrition then it should be improved,” Bommai added. He added that some medical experts are of the view that the third wave may hit children the most. Hence, a special drive will be launched under ”Vatsalya”. Bommai said he would hold a meeting with experts next week as part of efforts to contain COVID-19. Bommai, who visited Dakshina Kannada district to review COVID-19 situation, said he has been noticing that the positivity rate was going up after the second wave was over.

“I have taken the increasing number of COVID cases very seriously. I don”t want to trouble people with lockdowns with the increase in COVID cases. Prevention is better than cure,” he said. The Chief Minister also explained the measures being taken to contain COVID cases such as restrictions on the border, tracking and tracing of the infected people, improving health infrastructure, strengthening the taskforce and activating the triaging at the village level, and increasing vaccination. Dakshina Kannada, which borders Kerala, has been the major COVID-19 hotspot leaving behind other districts of the state for the past many days. Meanwhile, in Bengaluru as many as 543 children up to the age to 19 have been infected with COVID-19 since August one, details shared by Bengaluru civic agency show. However, there were zero fatalities among those children.