Chittoor gears up for Covid third wave

Tirupati/Chittoor: Chittoor Collector M Hari Narayanan on Wednesday geared up the officials for the possible Covid third wave which is expected anytime soon and conducted a review meet on the available facilities in the district and steps to be taken to improve infrastructure amenities.

In the extensive meeting held in Chittoor, Joint Collectors V Veerabrahmam, N Rajasekhar, Trainee Collector Abhishek Kumar, SVIMS medical superintendent Dr Ram, Ruia superintendent Dr T Bharathi, DM&HO Dr U Srihari, DCHS Dr P Saralamma, DIO Dr C Hanumantha Rao and other doctors and officials have taken part.

Speaking on the occasion, the Collector underlined the need to be prepared for the forthcoming Covid third wave in which children and those below the age of 18 years are expected to be affected more. Focus has to be laid on the beds requirement, oxygen supply, oxygen concentrators, other infrastructure and the precautions to be taken.

He asked the officials to make the vaccination for mothers having children in the age group of 0-5 years from Thursday successful with the active involvement of all the concerned. He discussed at length on the available infrastructure and the need to increase them at the paediatric wards in Ruia, SVIMS, Maternity hospitals in Tirupati, Chittoor and Madanapalle hospitals.

Ruia hospital doctors Dr A S Kireeti and Dr Tirupati Reddy said there were 160 beds in Ruia Children's hospital in which 132 are oxygen beds. They stressed the need to increase the beds and to train the medical staff there. SVIMS superintendent Dr Ram said they have 20 beds in paediatric ward and treated 39 patients below the age of 18 years during the first and second waves. There is a need to increase paediatricians and other staff now.

Chittoor district headquarters hospital has 90 paediatric beds out of which 60 were allocated for Covid treatment. Mini ventilators, paediatric pulse oximeters and other equipment along with additional staff are to be provided, said its superintendent Dr Arun Kumar.

Madanapalle headquarters hospital has 120 Covid beds and the oxygen plant setting up works are going on at a brisk pace, said the superintendent Dr Anajaneyulu. The Collector directed the APMSIDC EE Dhananjaya Reddy to immediately provide a generator there. Special ward has to be set up in Palamaner area hospital for treating paediatric positive cases.

The other officials opined that village level isolation centres should be set up to isolate children and Covid protocols have to be strictly implemented. The Collector has congratulated all the doctors, officials and other staff for their hard work during the Covid first and second waves and asked all of them to gear up for the third wave as well.