Delay in ambulance service due to patient care management: Annam Mallikarjuna Yadav

Amaravati: The people have been suffering due to non-availability of the ambulances, even after Chief Minister grandly launched nearly 1100 vehicles for the public health care purpose recently.

But, the government allocated only 217 ambulances for COVID-19 services. The remaining ambulances are being used for other medical emergency services. Officials in the Medical and Health department have informed that if all the ambulances converted into coronavirus vehicles, then they could not be used for transportation of the other patients.

On the other hand, the corona positive cases have been mounting up every day in thousands. That led to difficulty in managing the issue. For instance, on Tuesday alone nearly 8,000 fresh positive cases were reported in the State.

Delay is due to patient care management, not due to non-availability of the vehicle, explained Annam Mallikarjuna Yadav, CEO, YSR Arogyasri Trust, with this correspondent over a telephone conversation on Tuesday. He explained that the local medical team would contact the COVID positive patient immediately. They will assess the patient's condition, collect the information about associated medical problems, find out the comorbidity.

He further explained that the chief minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy is ready to give another 217 ambulances for COVID services if needed. He explained that as the positive cases have been increasing, the management of the health care system has been taking dynamic shapes from time to time. For instance, he explained that there is a decision to send an APSRTC bus to a village if there are 20 or more than 20 cases. The medical team along with the medical equipment will visit the village and provide treatment.

He also added that the government broadly divided patient care into three categories based on the severity of the patient. If a patient is exhibiting normal health problems, below 50 years, then he would be asked to stay at the Home Isolation. If he is more than 50 years and suffering from comorbidity and other lungs related problems, then he would be shifted to the COVID Care Centres. If the patient's health is in danger and emergency treatment is needed, then he would be shifted to the COVID Hospital. All this is a big exercise before we transport a patient from home to hospital, he explained.

At the same time, he maintained that the distance to be covered by the ambulances would be roughly around 20 to 30 kms only.

He also explained about the new challenge that the workload mounted on the medical staff due to the highest number of new positive cases from last one week. Yet, he said that it is not the problem with the vehicle availability, but before that the procedure involved inpatient care.