Karnataka launches ”ICU on Wheels” and ”Oxygen on Wheels”

PTI, May 19, 2021, 5:39 PM IST

Bengaluru: Coming to the rescue of COVID-19 patients in remote areas, the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation on Wednesday launched two projects – ”ICU on Wheels” and ”Oxygen on Wheels.”

These buses comprise an oxygen system, patient monitors such as BP, oxygen amount, ECG, temperature, ventilator, emergency medicine system and generator system.

Launching the buses, Deputy Chief Minister Laxman Savadi, who holds the transport portfolio, said these buses were built in house by the KSRTC at an estimated cost of Rs 10 lakh and the department has borne the entire cost.

According to him, more than 12 oxygen supply buses are already being operated by four Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation.

These 12 buses are from Chitradurga, Chikkaballapur, Chilakamoor in Kalaburagi, Belagavi and Bengaluru.

Two of these buses are equipped with ambulance type medical equipment.

Savadi said he has directed the transport corporations to provide ”oxygen buses” in all the districts under public-private partnerships in the backdrop of increasing COVID-19 cases.

He explained that public-private partnership and private hospital partnership were required to operate oxygen and medical equipment locally whereas the transport services were completely free.

He said a Hyderabad volunteer has come forward to provide medical equipment to a large number of oxygen buses.

These measures have been taken in view of rising COVID cases in the State.