Jagan tells hospitals to provide post-Covid treatment to children under Aarogyasri
VIJAYAWADA: Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy held a review meeting here on Monday on the prevailing Covid situation, as also the measures to be taken for treatment of infants and children in the event of a third wave and on the setting up of health hubs at district headquarters.
The CM directed the health officials to ensure treatment for the post-Covid health problems of children under the Aarogyasri scheme.
During the review meeting, the officials explained to the CM about the data from June 6 to 12 and said the number of cases in the state has dropped significantly. The positive cases’ rate had decreased to 6.58 per cent while it was 25.56 per cent on May 16. The positivity rate in all districts is less than 17.5 per cent, the officials said.
The positivity rate in seven districts is less than nine per cent and it's between 10-19 per cent in six districts Chittoor, Anantapur, Prakasam, Krishna, East Godavari and West Godavari). Active cases reduced to 85,637 and the recovery rate rose to 94.61 per cent.
Five lakh calls were made to 104 Call Centre from April 15 while 6,41,094 outgoing calls were made. Some 2,700 calls were being made at present on a daily basis.
As many as 2,303 black fungus cases were registered till June 14, from which 157 patients died. A GO was released as per the advice of the CM to support the families of health department staff who succumbed to Covid19, they said.
The CM directed the officials to ensure these personnel received financial assistance soon. He also spoke of a plan to provide financial assistance to health staff of private hospitals who died while treating Covid patients.
The officials informed the CM about treatment facilities for children in government hospitals. An action plan on increasing ICU beds and providing oxygen to infants and children was being implemented, and a plan to increase ICU beds to 1,600 and oxygen beds to 3,777 for children was also being put in place. Plans were on to recruit pediatricians, staff nurses and other supporting staff, officials noted.
The Chief Minister asked them to complete the recruitment in one month’s time.
He asked the officials to be prepared for any contingencies and provide training to nurses and staff in pediatrics issues.
The officials said children are facing post-Covid health problems related to lungs and kidneys. It was then that the CM asked them to provide treatment to them under Arogyasri. Fix rates under Arogyasri so that hospitals won't suffer, he said, and added that Arogyasri bills are being paid to network hospitals within three weeks.
The CM told officials that health hubs should be setup nearby habitations and ensure hospitals are setup at all directions in towns and cities. The main objective of health hubs is to introduce modern treatment techniques, and ensure that the facilities similar to those of multi-specialty hospitals in Bangalore, Chennai and Hyderabad are available in AP as well.
He said districts should attain self-sufficiency in providing health-related treatment services through these health hubs. Prepare guidelines regarding health hubs within two weeks, the CM asked officials.
Deputy chief minister Alla Krishna Srinivas, Covid command control chairman Dr Jawahar Reddy, additional DG Ravi Ayyanar, health principal secretary A.K. Singhal, Covid task force committee chairman Krishna Babu, health commissioner K. Bhaskar, 104 call centre incharge Babu and Arogyasri CEO Mallikarjuna were among the officials present.
The Chief Minister will release a financial assistance of Rs 10,000 under the third phase of YSR Vahana Mitra scheme on Tuesday for eligible auto rickshaw and taxi drivers, a month in advance, by crediting a total of Rs 248.47'crore into the accounts of 2,48,468 beneficiaries.
In view of the ongoing pandemic crisis, the state government decided to extend a helping hand to the auto and taxi drivers by providing the YSR Vahana Mitra scheme a month in advance. As many as 42,932 beneficiaries have applied for the scheme this year, wherein a total of 2,48,468 will be receiving the aid. Over two lakh persons have benefitted from the scheme in the previous year.
As part of this scheme, financial assistance will be provided to drivers who have their own auto, taxi and maxi cabs. Out of the total 2,48,468 beneficiaries under the scheme, 59,692 are SCs, 1,38,372 are BCs, 9,910 are STs and 40,494 are OCs. A majority of the beneficiaries are from backward classes and other weaker sections.
