COIMBATORE: To brace for a third wave of Covid-19, the Health Department has been readying beds with centralised oxygen supply lines at all block-level primary health centres. Speaking to Express, Joint Director of Health Services (in-charge) E Raja said that the second wave had shown the importance of increasing number of oxygen-supported beds.
To this end, the department had recently allocated Rs 27 lakh each to all 13 block-level PHCs in the district. The funds would be used to equip around 50-70 beds in each of the facilities with a centralised oxygen supply. “The works at eight of the 13 block-level PHCs have been completed,” he noted, adding that the project is executed by Public Works Department.
The department also recently supplied around 30-50 oxygen cylinders to government hospitals in Madukkarai, Periyanaickenpalayam, Mettupalayam, and District Headquarters Hospital in Pollachi.
Having topped the charts for the highest caseload in the State only recently, Coimbatore had many a lesson to learn in handling the crisis better.
For instance, many government hospitals in the district were not admitting Covid patients until about 10 days ago. Barring District Headquarters Hospital in Pollachi and a Covid Centre on the premises of a private hospital, but managed by Government Mettupalayam Hospital, government hospitals in Kolarpatti, Annur, Sulur, Thondamuthur, Periyanaickenpalayam, Valparai, Madukkarai, Mettupalayam, Kottur, Vettaikaranpudur, Kinathukadavu, and Sundakamuthur did not admit Covid patients.
Deputy Director of Health Services S Senthilkumar said that Covid-19 patients were now being admitted to almost all government hospitals in the district. “Only those in need of tertiary care would be referred to Coimbatore Medical College Hospital (CMCH) and ESI Hospital. Otherwise, the patients will be treated at PHCs or government hospitals nearby.”
Officials said they were not letting their guard down even as the caseload in the district was declining.”The steps towards preparedness to face the third wave is currently the need of the hour despite the fresh case tally falling in Coimbatore,” Senthilkumar added.