A federation of progressive organisations – Pragatipara Sanghatanegala Okkuta, Shivamogga – has urged the State government to appoint a suitable person as the director of Shivamogga Institute of Medical Sciences and reduce the number of deaths due to COVID-19.
At a press conference in Shivamogga on Thursday, K.P. Sripal and K.T.Gangadhar of the Okkoota said that the number of COVID-19 cases had been on the rise in the district. So far 48 people have died because of non-availability of ventilators. At present, there were only six ventilators. When thousands of people were being infected by the virus, they could not be treated with only six ventilators, they said.
The State government has appointed 68-year old O.S. Siddappa as director of SIMS. “As he is aged, he has not been able to visit COVID-19 centres so far. His appointment is itself against the rules of SIMS. As per the norms, one among the senior professors of the institute should have been appointed for the post”, the office-bearers said.
The organisation asked the government take all necessary measures to reduce the number of COVID-19 deaths in the district. M.Gurumurthy, H.B.Raghavendra and Shashi Sampalli of the organisation were present.
