District Collector V. Vinay Chand on Sunday instructed the officials of the Health Department to provide counselling to COVID-19 patients apart from providing regular treatment. He also asked them to increase testing in the district. He organised a meeting with the nodal officers and health officials.
“Once a person tests positive, the officials should inform him on phone. They should also enquire about his health condition and take a call whether he/she should be shifted to hospital/COVID-19 care centre or kept in home isolation,” he said.
Mr. Vinay Chand said that the Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) officials should make a note of the cases in the city, while Zilla Parishad Chief Executive Officer Nagarjuna Sagar should have details of patients in rural areas of the district.
“Call up patients being treated in home isolation on a daily basis and enquire about their health condition. Officials should boost their morale,” Mr .Vinay Chand told the Health Department officials. He said that the responsibility of tracing primary and secondary contacts of patients and testing them lies with Ward/Village Secretaries.
The Collector also said that the officials must ensure hospitals should have adequate oxygen stocks. He instructed the officials to inspect hospitals providing treatment and check their services.
GVMC Commissioner G. Srijana and Andhra Medical College Principal P.V. Sudhakar were among those present.
