Over 7,500 beds ready in Vizag district, more on anvil

VISAKHAPATNAM: Even as Andhra Pradesh’s cumulative Covid-19 caseload crossed the 10 lakh mark (10,20,926) and Vizag district reported 1,047 new cases with a cumulative count of 73,198 on Saturday, health officials have assured the public of adequate availability of beds and oxygen in hospitals.
In Vizag district, Covid-19 hospitals (category A and B complete and partial sections allocated respectively for Covid-19 patients) have been enhanced to 61, including 22 government hospitals. Covid care centres. Home isolation kits are being readied by the district administration for mild cases. Philanthropic organisations have set up Covid-19 helplines and portals listing emergency contact numbers.
Principal secretary (medical, health and family welfare) Anil Kumar Singhal recently assured that the situation in AP is under control and there is no shortage of either beds or oxygen in hospitals. The government has strengthened the 104 call centre and the number of staff at the help desks at the district-level has also been enhanced. The availability of beds will be updated in the designated portal every six hours.
“As per directions of the government, district collectors have been asked to make arrangements for adequate number of home isolation kits especially for mild, home-quarantined patients. Nodal officers have been appointed at all Covid-19 hospitals to make hospital admission hassle-free and curtail the patient’s waiting time,” said a government health official.
According to the district administration, the government Covid-19 hospitals (category A) include VIMS, CSR Block of KGH, Government Hospital for Chest and Communicable Diseases (GHCCD), Government ENT Hospital. Under category B (beds partially reserved for Covid-19 care), government hospitals include Rani Chandramani Devi Hospital, Regional Eye Hospital, District and Area Hospitals of Anakapalle, Paderu, Araku and Narsipatnam, a dozen Community Health Centres (CHCs) in various mandals of the district. Private hospitals under category A include Gitam Hospital, Gayatri Vidya Parishad Hospital, Pradhama Hospital, Care 2 Hospital near KGH, St Joseph’s Hospital and A Plus Hospital.
“We have over 6,500 Covid-19 beds across various hospitals as of now besides 1,000 beds at Covid care centres. Soon, bed strength would be increased to 5,000 in Covid care centres in the district for non-severe cases. There is no dearth of beds and oxygen as of now and we will ensure that all treatment requirements are met for patients,” said Covid-19 nodal officer for north coastal Andhra Dr PV Sudhakar.
Some social organisations such as Junior Chamber International (JCI Vizag) and Vizag Volunteers Association have also compiled information on Covid-19 services on a single platform.
These include availability of hospital facilities, essential drugs, emergency phone numbers for teleconsultation of doctors, besides listing free and paid services for oxygen cylinder suppliers and rental, home sample collection and Covid-19 testing, walk-in testing facilities, diagnostic centres, doorstep food delivery services for home-quarantined patients, setting up an ICU at home, ambulance and sanitisation services and plasma donation requests.
Bed strength will soon be increased to 5,000 in Covid care centres for non-severe cases. The 104 call centre and staff at district-level help desks has been strengthened