AP Govt to Set Up Pediatric Centres in Vizag, Tirupati, Krishna-Guntur Regions

Amaravati: Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy held a review meeting on the prevailing COVID situation and vaccination and decided to extend the curfew in force till June 20. The curfew relaxation timings were changed to 6 AM to 2 PM after June 10.

During a review meeting held at the camp office here on Monday, the Chief Minister said the working hours of government offices would be from 8 AM to 2 PM from June 10 and directed the officials to be on high alert, though the cases were coming down. He said precautionary measures should be taken till the positivity rate is decreased and the situation is under control.

The officials briefed the Chief Minister on the analysis and data of the third wave of COVID. They discussed the measures to be taken regarding children in the wake of the third wave of COVID. The officials said there is no scientific confirmation yet about the third wave of COVID. The officials informed the Chief Minister of the consequences and estimates on the people, who will be affected if COVID third wave hits the state. They said nutrition and vaccination programmes should be continued considering the third wave of COVID. Discussions were also held on medicines, equipment, and biomedical equipment to be used.

The Chief Minister directed the officials to create awareness among the parents on the impact of the third wave of COVID in children and its intensity.  He also asked them to provide training to Asha and health workers on identifying pediatric symptoms. The Chief Minister said pediatric wards should be set up in all teaching hospitals following national standards and directed the officials to develop them very soon to provide better medical facilities to children. He asked them to inspect PHCs and area hospitals and make arrangements to provide treatment to children wherever possible. He also added that it was important to procure required medicines and recruit doctors considering the third wave of COVID will hit the state.

The Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister asked them to monitor the distribution of dry ration being given under YSR Sampoorna Poshana and Gorumuddha schemes. He directed officials to identify the hospitals to provide treatment to children beforehand and instructed them to provide information on the third wave to private teaching hospitals so that they can be prepared. He asked them to focus on setting up oxygen generation plants in hospitals and update the information to him.

The Chief Minister directed the officials to set up three pediatric care centres to provide the best medical facilities to children across the state. He asked them to set up three pediatric centres at Vishakapatnam, Tirupati, and Krishna-Guntur region. He asked them to prepare a plan for the construction of each hospital with a cost of Rs 180 crore.

The officials informed the Chief Minister that Covid cases have been decreasing in the state and added that the positivity rate has declined to 10.73 percent while it was 25.56 on May 16 and active cases had fallen to 1.23 lakh while they were 2.11 lakh on May 17. They said the recovery rate has increased to 92.33 percent. They said 1,753 ICU beds were available on June 6 while it was 380 ICU beds on May 15 and added that 8,701 oxygen beds are available at present while they were only 433 on May 17. They said 90,553 people were in home isolation, and 1551 black fungus cases were registered till now, of which 98 were dead and the remaining were being treated.

Deputy Chief Minister Alla Krishna Srinivas, Chief Secretary Adityanath Das, DGP Goutam Sawang, Covid command control chairman Dr. KS Jawahar Reddy, Covid taskforce committee chairman MT Krishna Babu, Health Secretary (Covid Management & Vaccination) M Ravi Chandra, 104 call center in-charge A Babu, Health Commissioner Katamaneni Bhaskar, Arogyasri CEO Dr. A Mallikarjuna, APMSIDC VC and MD V. Vijayarama Raju, AP Health system strengthening project Project director Dr. V Vinod Kumar, Ayush Commissioner Ramulu and other officials were present.