Demand for Covid hosp to treat only children
A demand has risen to designate a Covid-19 hospital for treating only children, who are more vulnerable to the disease. Such a dedicated hospital would not only separate children from high-risk comorbid patients, but also facilitate their parents to attend to them.
Achyuta Rao, honorary president of NGO Balala Hakkula Sangham, demanded that the government quickly identify a hospital exclusively for children to be staffed by paediatricians. The child rights activist said if children are treated along with adults and the elderly, there will be a higher risk to their life because they are delicate and have less immunity.
"Children require special equipment. Presently, the designated Covid-19 hospitals have equipment that suits only elders. Moreover, children need their mother or a family member to be with them. They would otherwise panic, which may add to their complication,” Achyuta Rao opined.
Prof. K. Nageshwar said a dedicated children’s hospital will give parents access to their children. He recommended that even Gandhi Hospital should separate comorbid patients from other patients, as the former are more vulnerable to Coronavirus.
BJP state president Bandi Sanjay Kumar said the government should follow guidelines issued by the Centre on having a special ward, staff and equipment for children. He said the government could set up the dedicated Covid-19 hospitals for children in a college in the city.
Congress leader and former MP Konda Vishweshwar Reddy welcomed the idea but said it should not become another Niloufer Hospital. He accused the state government of hiding the death of 40 children at Niloufer due to dengue. “Though the demand for an exclusive hospital for children is good, we cannot trust this government, which could behave irresponsibly, as it did in the case of Niloufer Hospital,” he said.
Medical experts opine that having an exclusive hospital for treating Covid-19 children will minimise operational difficulties and staff could attend to their child patients with utmost care.