‘Health staff being trained to handle third wave of COVID’

Vizianagaram District Medical and Health Officer S.V. Ramanakumari said that training programmes were being conducted for doctors, nurses and other medical staff to face the third wave of COVID-19 which had already caused panic in a few States.

Speaking to The Hindu , Ms. Ramanakumari said that the medical and health department had gained considerable experience after handling the first and second waves of the pandemic.

“Fortunately, we have sufficient infrastructure at all hospitals including 68 Primary Health Centres with the availability of required medical oxygen cylinders and concentrators. With the support of Union and State governments, we could improve infrastructure in all the hospitals. Many service organisations have also extended their service. Now, we are ready to face any kind of challenge in the future,” said Dr. Ramanakumari.

She said people’s cooperation was needed to achieve the vaccination targets in the district. “So far, we have administered the first dose of vaccine to 7.5 lakh people and second dose to 1.9 lakh people. The Medical and Health Department is keen on coordinating with concerned departments to ensure vaccination for all eligible candidates within a month so that they would be in a safe position and would not become carriers,” she said.

According to her, the department is concentrating on improvement of infrastrcuture in newly-established YSR Urban Health Centres. They are expected to provide treatment to patients suffering from normal problems. The centres are expected to reduce the patients’ rush to the MR Government Hospital and other major government hospitals in the district.