AP to establish public health emergency operations centre in Mangalagiri

Vijayawada: In a significant step towards strengthening the state's public health preparedness, the govt of Andhra Pradesh is establishing a public health emergency operations centre (PHEOC) in Mangalagiri to serve as the nodal hub for coordinated medical response during emergencies.The centre, constructed for Rs 5 crore from central funds, will function as a command and control facility under the medical and health department to monitor, prevent, and respond to public health emergencies, including outbreaks of infectious diseases, food poisoning incidents, natural disasters, and extraordinary situations such as Covid-19. The centre will operate on the principles of "watch, response, and alert."Health minister Y Satya Kumar Yadav said that the new PHEOC will ensure seamless coordination among various wings within the health department, district administrations, and allied govt departments. He said the facility will play a crucial role in planning and implementing emergency response strategies across the state.The PHEOC will maintain continuous surveillance on disease outbreaks such as seasonal fevers, diarrhoeal illnesses, and other infectious diseases. It will also monitor food poisoning cases and extraordinary health events, ensuring prompt medical intervention, Satya Kumar Yadav said.The health minister further noted that the state-of-the-art PHEOC will integrate real-time data from multiple departments, including disaster management, fire services, police, and other allied agencies. Weather alerts issued by meteorological authorities will also be factored in to initiate timely precautionary measures.While an emergency operations centre is already operational under the disaster management department in the state, this newly established facility will specifically focus on ensuring efficient delivery of medical services during emergencies. The centre will function under the supervision of a senior surveillance officer."The PHEOC, which will be inaugurated soon, is being established under the Prime Minister Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission, under which the Centre selected 15 States and UTs in the first phase for setting up similar command centres across the country," Satya Kumar Yadav said.GFX:The PHEOC will be equipped with state-of-the-art infrastructure, including:High-speed data transfer systemsVoice and video conferencing facilitiesStudio facilities for communication and coordination