State governments across the country are taking all kinds of steps for a possible COVID wave in the next few months.
According to a senior Health official, the Telangana government is following the guidelines set by the Central government, including mask appropriate behaviour, and asking people to be alert.
On December 27, a mock drill was conducted at all government hospitals in the State, as per the Central government’s instructions. The hospitals had received a 76 column sheet from the Centre that needed to be checked for availability of beds, oxygen supply, adequate personnel to take care of patients and enough medication, in case a COVID wave hits the State.
The mock drill showed that we have improved a lot compared to previous COVID waves, he added.
Nodal centre
Gandhi Hospital, which served as the nodal centre for Telangana during the two COVID waves, checked all the 76 parameters and it was found that the hospital has 1,890 beds for COVID patients, 530 ventilators, 475 multi-channel monitors, 100 CPAP machines, 50 BiPAP machines and 100 NHHC machines.
Medical officer at UPHC Banjara Hills Naga Karthik said that a similar mock drill was conducted at the PHC level as well, where they coordinated with a private hospital within the limits of the UPHC.
Old vaccines called back
The old batch of vaccines at PHCs across the city was called back by the government as the expiry date was nearing. The new batch of vaccines might arrive in the first week of January after which the vaccination programme will begin, added another official.
Sample testing
The State has also increased sample testing per day. On December 25, 3,599 samples were tested out of which nine were found to be positive. The number was then increased to 3,912 samples on December 26, out of which 12 were positive; 5,818 samples were tested on December 27 out of which five turned positive. Another 5,580 samples were tested on December 28, out of which 12 were positive.
Kiran Madala, an ICMR certified researcher based in Hyderabad, said, “China has been using inactive vaccines with low efficacy. The COVID cases have been increasing in China since September and after opening their societies in December, the number has surged. A recent study showed that they are expecting 23 lakh cases, 2 lakh admissions and over 25,000 ICU admissions by January first week. About genome sequencing, the variant circulating there is not a problem for India.”
Private hospitals in Hyderabad have also started gearing up for the situation. Speaking to The Hindu, president of Apollo Hospitals K. Hari Prasad said, “We were also part of the drills. The good thing this time is that we have already faced the worst part of the pandemic, so it is a matter of just redefining spaces, processes, people and systems. Past learning is of tremendous use and it is very simple to get new things into place.”
Senior Critical Medicine Specialist of Yashoda Hospitals, Hi-Tech City, Venkat Raman Kola said, “Yashoda Hospital catered to the sickest of patients during the earlier waves. After the breaking news of COVID surge in China, we started taking all the necessary precautions. We have initiated the vaccine programme once again. The elderly population is being called to take the precautionary dose. There is a huge population that has not been vaccinated, mainly children. We should come up with a solution for them.”
Medical administrator at Kamineni Hospitals, LB Nagar, Jayakumar said, “We have allocated over 400 beds for COVID patients, and every patient will be isolated in a separate room. There is oxygen facility for 100 patients; 40 beds have been allocated to the ICU and 10 beds have ventilator facility.”
Aster Prime Hospital at Ameerpet has opened a separate vaccination centre and conducting special vaccination drives at gated communities.
