Govt to run isolation centres in rural areas

Officials were told to ensure adequate stocks of medicines

Covid- 19 cases are increasing in rural areas with each passing day and there is need for setting up governmentrun isolation centres in these areas to house Coronavirus- i nfected patients, health minister Etela Rajendar has said.

Reviewing the Covid-19 situation with senior department officials, he pointed out that families living in villages do not have facilities to isolate in their own homes those suffering from the Coronavirus. Hence, there is need to set up isolation centres with all required facilities in rural areas.

The minister instructed health officials to ensure that such centres also have adequate stocks of medicines and disposables, including protection kits, for medical and associated personnel.

He wanted the health department to prepare itself for facing sudden spikes in Covid-19 cases. He pointed out that if there are one lakh new cases, then 15,000 of them will require hospital care. Arrangements must be put in place to treat 10,000 of these patients in government hospitals and the remaining 5,000 in private hospitals, he said.

On availability of oxygen supplies at government-run hospitals, the minister went over plans for installing liquid oxygen tanks (LOTs) in 22 hospitals of the state.

At present, Osmania General Hospital, Gandhi Hospital, and NIMS in Hyderabad, Kakatiya Medical College Hospital in Warangal, RIMS in Adilabad and Nizamabad Government Hospital have LOTs. Installation of LOTs has also been completed at the King Koti Hospital and TIMS in Hyderabad as well as at Mahbubnagar Government Hospital. Setting up of these tanks will be completed at 13 other hospitals selected across the state in the next three days, officials informed the minister.

Rajendar said he has received several complaints at the legislature premises from MLAs and MLCs about medical equipment needing repairs in hospitals across the state.

He wanted officials to prepare an inventory of all medical equipment in all government hospitals, their state of repair, and appoint personnel to carry out such repairs.

“At the same time, do

not lose sight of other seasonal diseases and health conditions of

people while focusing on Covid-19,” the minister cautioned.