As COVID-19 continues to spread from urban to rural areas, the demand for oxygen-supported beds and COVID Care Centres has seen a surge, even as officials suggest home isolation to the mildly positive.
Joint Collector (Health) S. Veerabrahmam directed the officials to ensure optimal utilisation of oxygen and prevent pilferage in private hospitals.
At a review meeting held along with Joint Collector (Welfare) Rajasekhar and Revenue Divisional Officer Kanaka Narasa Reddy here on Sunday, he pointed to the plan of action formulated by public hospitals like SVIMS and Ruia to avoid wastage and asked the private hospitals to take a cue. “Monitor patients once in two hours and shift those not requiring oxygen to general wards, so as to accommodate the other needy,” he said.
On the other hand, political parties have once again raised a hue and cry over shortage of oxygen cylinders, ventilators and beds. Former MLA and TDP leader M. Sugunamma said the government failed in ensuring oxygen as well as securing vaccines. She wanted testing and contact tracing to be improved to prevent the spread of virus. INTUC district leader P. Naveen Kumar Reddy demanded that the government establish five more quarantine centres in Tirupati on the lines of Padmavathi Nilayam in Tiruchanur, in view of the rush of COVID-19 patients from across Rayalaseema. He urged the TTD to step in to convert its educational institutions, now lying vacant, into COVID Care centres.
Help for sportspersons
Meanwhile, the Union Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports has come up with a humanitarian proposal to extend a helping hand to former international athletes and coaches in their fight against COVID-19. Touted as a joint initiative of the Sports Authority of India (SAI) and the Indian Olympic Association, the Centre has formed a national-level team to coordinate with the likely beneficiaries in every State. Any players infected with coronavirus can register their names at https://www.research.net/r/SAI-IOA-Covid-19. The Union Ministry will reach out to them,” said S. Subhan Basha, the secretary of the Kadapa Hockey Association and one of the two representatives from Andhra Pradesh in the national panel.
As indoor stadiums and sports academies have remain closed without proper maintenance ever since the start of the pandemic, Mr. Basha requested the State government to convert them into isolation centres to meet the local needs.
