Andhra Pradesh govt to adopt three-pronged strategy to check spread of COVID-19

Amaravati (Andhra Pradesh) [India], April 27 : In the wake of the rising COVID-19 cases, the Andhra Pradesh government has issued orders to adopt a three-pronged strategy to ensure better treatment, oxygen, quality food, medicine, water and sanitation facilities in COVID hospitals, allotment of beds to coronavirus patients and to check the services of 104 call centre.
The orders were issued during the review meeting held on the prevailing COVID-19 situation at Chief Minister's camp office here on Monday.
As per an official statement listing the orders, the three-pronged strategy, which will work from district to state level, will ensure no private hospital charges more than the prescribed price and also monitor the medical services in the hospitals.
In accordance with the orders, the District Collectors will divide all the hospitals treating COVID-19 patients into clusters and there will be five to eight hospitals in each cluster and will appoint a district-level officer as in charge of each cluster.
The statement further said that the officer, who visits the hospitals frequently, will monitor the hospitals and ensure no private hospital will charge more than the prescribed fees, adding that wherever any complaint is received, the officer will respond quickly and take necessary action. In the same way, the officer will look into the hospitals that treat COVID-19 patients without permission within the cluster, it said.
According to the orders issued by the state government, the Collector will set up a flying squad at the district level to check on private hospitals from overcharging. Among them will be an officer from the Drug Control Division, one from the Vigilance Enforcement Division and another from the Medical Health Department. The squad will ensure private hospitals won't charge more money, will assist in making the cluster in-charges work more efficiently.
The government has issued orders to create hospital clusters and set up flying squad, said the statement.
It further informed that a special task force committee with senior officers at the state level has been set up to review the performance of clusters and flying squads in the districts from time to time.
State COVID Command Control Center Chairperson Dr KS Jawahar Reddy, Vigilance Enforcement Director General KV Rajendra nath Reddy, Health Principal Secretary Anil Kumar Singhal, Health Commissioner Katamaneni Bhaskar, Medicine Regulatory department Director General Ravi Shankar were members of the Special task force committe headed by Higher Education Special Chief Secretary Satish Chandra, said the statement.
It further stated that the Andhra Pradesh government has given the responsibilities of all activities of COVID-19 to a Joint Collector in the district, transferring their existing duties to others, adding that the Joint Collector should ensure good sanitation facilities, quality food supply, availability of doctors and paramedical staff, setting up of help desks, etc.
They should monitor the performance of Arogya Mitras through CCTV cameras. They should coordinate with call centre and ensure all works are done on time. Along with these, the JCs are also responsible for data updation and management of hospitals, the statement said.
The Chief Minister has instructed to increase the number of COVID-19 tests and ensure the results come with in 24 hours of testing. He also said to inspect on focused testing, creating awareness on COVID-19, CCTV cameras in hospitals, setting up of health desks etc.
Orders were given to cap CT scan fee at Rs 3,000 and RT-PCR test at Rs 499 and to set up oxygen production plants and ensure continuous supply of electricity to hospitals.
Notification will be released for recruiting 1,170 specialist doctors, 1,170 general duty medical officers, 2,000 staff nurses, 306 anesthesia technicians, 330 FNOs, 300 MNOs as 300 sweepers, the statement added.