VIJAYAWADA: In view of a high number of infections during the Covid-19 second wave, the Krishna district administration is gearing up to tackle the possible third wave. The focus would be laid, especially on enhancing oxygen supply, beds, recruitment of medical staff and arranging special wards for children at the government hospitals. According to district health officials, 2,200 oxygen beds are available at the government hospitals in the district. Of these, 850 beds are in State Covid-19 Hospital, Vijayawada followed by 320 beds in Government Hospital, Machilipatnam, 50 beds each in Vuyyuru and Tiruvuru CHCs and 30 beds in Kaikaluru.
Besides that, 850 more oxygen beds are also available in Pinnamaneni Siddhartha Institute of Medical Sciences (PSIMS) Chinna Avutapalli. A decision has been taken to arrange 1,000 more oxygen beds at State Covid-19 Hospital and PSIMS. A special drive will be conducted to recruit doctors and nursing staff based on the enhancement of oxygen beds in the district. DM&HO M Sushasini told TNIE that there has been a decline in Covid-19 positive cases now. With health experts warning of a third wave, the medical and health department is gearing up to contain the further spread of the virus.
Highlighting the initiatives being taken by the department, she said, “In addition to increasing the oxygen bed strength in hospitals, we are setting up special wards for children. We are also taking steps to vaccinate as many people as possible, including mothers of children below five. A door-to-door fever survey is underway to identify those suffering from Covid-19 symptoms.
The DM&HO said that steps are being taken to arrange 100 beds for children at State Covid-19 Hospital and 60 more at Old GGH in Vijayawada along with infants. A few private hospitals in Krishna have also come forward to arrange beds for children and informed the same during a meeting held by Collector J Nivas recently, she said. Referring to the oxygen supply, Sushasini said that six more new oxygen plants are coming up in government hospitals in the district. Currently, 13 KL of oxygen can be stored at Machilipatnam, New and Old GGHs in Vijayawada.
In addition, six more oxygen plants are coming up on a war footing at the hospitals through funds allocated by the government and by involving voluntary organisations. At present, oxygen plants at Avanigadda, Gudivada, Jaggayyapeta, Kaikalur and Tiruvuru are under construction, the DM&HO informed. Asked about the mandals reporting more positive cases of the virus, the DM&HO said that health department staff are collecting samples from the public at PHCs across the district.
However, 11 mandals, including Jaggayyapeta, Vijayawada Division (Urban and Rural), Mylavaram, Thotlavallur, Gudur, Machilipatnam Division, Pedana, Gudivada Division, Gudivada Rural, Nandivada, A Kondur, Tiruvuru Rural, Chatrai and Agiripalli mandals are reporting a high number of Covid-19 cases. Restrictions will be in force in these mandals to contain further spread of the virus, she added.