Telangana has only 3 lakh PPE kits, N 95 masks to fight coronavirus

Hyderabad: Telangana Health department has resolved to provide 10 lakh PPE kits and N 95 masks to frontline health staff involved in Covid-19 duties at all identified government and private faclities.

However, it only has 3 lakh PPE kits and N 95 masks with it. In view of the considerable gap in demand and available stocks, Health Minister Eatala Rajender sought Centre's assistance on this issue. Also, more than 50,000 medical staff including doctors were given HCQ (Hydroxychloroquine) medication as prophylaxis for medical staff who are directly exposed to infected Covid-19 patients.

The State has 12.35 lakh HCQ tablet stocks which are adequate, as also Azithromycin tablets ( 250 mg and 500 mg) that are taken in combination with HCQ. Also, as on April 18, the number of persons who are put under quarantine stands over 1800 in Telangana with 183 of them in GHMC limits.

Also, of the 12,400 beds that were earmarked for Covid-19 treatment so far, nearly 1200 of them have ICU facilities and only 500 of them have ventilator support. In this backdrop, Telangana decided to procure 1,000 ventillators at one go to be installed at Gachibowli Covid-10 facility now renamed as TIMS.