COVID beds should be allocated within 3 hours, take action if delay: Andhra CM instructs officials

Amaravati (Andhra Pradesh) [India], May 6 : Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on Thursday held a review meeting on the prevailing situation and containing COVID and vaccination across the state and directed the officials to increase the availability of beds for COVID treatment.
As per the state government's release, during the review meeting, the Chief Minister said that complete support and cooperation should be provided to people who call 104 call centre and added that beds should be allocated within 3 hours as prescribed previously. He also directed the officials to take necessary action if the patient face delay in getting a bed.
Explaining the process of functioning of 104 call centre, the Chief Minister said when a phone call is made to the 104 call centres, the message would go to the district, depending on the location of the patient.
"The Collector and the district administration should respond immediately and admit patients in the respective hospitals. Medical services should be provided completely free of cost to Covid patients," he said.
Reddy said that COVID-19 treatment should be provided free of cost in all the hospitals empanelled for Covid treatment under the Arogyasri Scheme.
He added that the quality of treatment should be the same in government, Arogyasri empanelled and all other hospitals. Reddy also said there should be clarity on the beds available in Arogyasri hospitals and the beds being allotted to Arogyasri patients in those hospitals.
The Chief Minister said that fifty per cent of beds must be provided to Arogyasri patients in Arogyasri empanelled hospitals and if more than that number of patients come, they also should be admitted.
"Fifty per cent of beds should be allotted to Arogyasri patients in temporary empanelled hospitals and also in non empanelled hospitals notified by the district collector," he said and directed the officials to empanel the notified hospitals temporarily and allot beds.
The Chief Minister said that COVID care centres should be set up near all COVID hospitals with hangers so that Hospital doctors also serve in those centres.
According to the state government's data, there are currently 108 government hospitals, 349 corporate empanelled hospitals, 47 corporate temporary empanelled hospitals and 94 private category hospitals in the state for COVID treatment. Thus there are 48,439 beds out of a total of 598 hospitals, of which 41,517 beds are occupied and 6922 beds are vacant. Of those in hospitals, 24,500 patients are being treated under Arogyasri Scheme.
The Chief Minister also instructed the officials to recruit doctors on a temporary basis if necessary.
Reddy said there should be no problems in the supply and storage of oxygen. He asked the officials to put efforts to make the Central government supply more oxygen and also plan for other alternatives.