Tirupati: Pressure mounts on Covid care centres, hospitals

Tirupati: The increasing number of Covid positive cases has been piling up pressure on the available care centres and hospitals both in government and private sector in Tirupati. There was a steady daily increase of more than 900 cases on most of the days since the beginning of August while about 200-300 patients are discharged daily. This has forced the authorities to accommodate around 700 patients daily in any of the Covid care centres or hospitals.

While about 300 patients were taking treatment in Svims out of 450 beds as on Thursday, another 617 are in Ruia Hospital which has 670 beds. Around 4,100 were under home isolation as of now. Despite severe criticism on excess billing and other aspects by private players, many people with mild symptoms have been preferring hotels as ideal places for their comfortable isolation.

According to joint collector (development) V Veerabrahmam, there are 13 private hospitals in the district which were given permission for Covid services. Along with their associated hotels, these hospitals have a total of 901 beds out of which 663 beds were booked as on Thursday morning. Some hospitals and hotels have completely filled with no available beds and patients have been rushing to them by paying huge amounts as prescribed by them.

The district official machinery has made elaborate arrangements to provide isolation free of cost in Ruia and Svims hospitals and four Covid care centres and is trying to increase these centres. Still, Padmavati Nilayam has become the first choice for many who opt for free accommodation.

The special officer of that facility, S Lakshmi, said that they have a total of 869 beds and all of them were always full. They could only accommodate new patients based on daily discharges only and have been refusing accommodation to about 50-100 patients daily as already each room is having four beds.

With some negative feedback initially, officials have improved the amenities at TTD's Srinivasam which has 1,200 beds out of which 1,000 were occupied. TTD's another facility Vishnu Nivasam has 800 beds of which 729 were allotted as on Thursday afternoon.

The reception centre set up at Shilparamam has been guiding people on the available beds at various facilities to enable them to go directly there. Still, many have been going directly to Padmavati Nilayam which has already earned much reputation for providing good services.

Recently, they have started Yoga training also for inmates by getting the services of instructors. From 3.30 pm the yoga classes are held in batches in which the patients have been participating actively.