Andhra CM asks officials to increase number of COVID hospitals in state

Amaravati (Andhra Pradesh) [India], Aug 21 : Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on Friday directed officials to increase the COVID hospitals strength and the remuneration of sanitation workers.
"The strength of COVID hospitals should be increased to 287 with an addition of 149 more hospitals and doctors and specialists should be made available as soon as possible," Reddy said while holding a review meeting on the COVID situation in the state.
"The pay of temporary staff recruited for sanitisation should be increased and the hospitals should have the basic infrastructure and rating should be given as per the performance of the hospitals," he added.
In the 287 hospitals, all facilities should be available and medical staff should be present in the required number and the standards in the hospitals should be regularly monitored, he said.
He said that COVID Call Centres and Help Desks in hospitals should function efficiently. Hygiene should be maintained in the hospitals and nutritious food should be provided to the patients. Care should be taken for those who are in home-quarantine and those coming under Aarogyasri should be taken care of well.
"Referral protocol should be followed and implemented from village and ward clinic level. A Call Centre to register complaints on Aarogyasri services should be started and the toll-free number should be displayed prominently at all hospitals," he said.
The officials should consider the possibility of handing over the cash incentive for women while discharging her after delivery, he said.