HYDERABAD: Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao on Monday took a decision to start medical oxygen production units at 48 government hospitals in the State.
In order to improve the medical facilities, the government is ready to start medical colleges in six more districts. He felt that the measures taken by the government to contain the spread of Covid-19 were showing good results, as new admissions had come down and the number of discharges from hospitals had increased.
At a review on Covid-19 at Pragathi Bhavan on Monday, the Chief Minister directed the officials concerned to set up the oxygen production plants at 48 hospitals so that there would be no shortage of medical oxygen in future. The proposed plants would produce 324 tonnes of medical oxygen.
He gave directions to set up another plant in Hyderabad with a capacity of 100 tonnes. In addition, he directed them to set up six plants with 16 tonnes capacity, 15 plants with eight tonnes, and 27 plants with four tonnes capacity, in Hyderabad. He asked the officials to accord priority to government hospitals in oxygen supply, as the poor come to these hospitals.
Rao requested the manufacturers to provide 11 oxygen tankers each with 20 tonnes capacity within ten days.
“The State should not depend on other States for medical oxygen in future,” he said. He called upon the poor to get admitted only in government hospitals, saying they provided free medicare, food and accommodation.
Opt for govt hosps, KCR tells the poor
He said 6,926 beds were vacant in government hospitals, of which 2,253 were oxygen beds, 533 ICU beds and 4,140 were general beds. Rao appealed to the people not to go to private hospitals, as Covid-19 beds, oxygen and Remdesivir injections were available in government ones. “The treatment is same in private and government hospitals. So go to government hospitals,” the CM told the people.
More hosps to be converted into Covid-19 centres
The CM also told the officials to convert the 200-bed hospital in Anantagiri of Vikarabad district into a Covid-19 hospital. The hospitals in Singareni, RTC, CISF, CRPF, Railways, Army and ESI too should be used for Covid-19 treatment, Rao said. Owing to the steps taken by the government, including lockdown, door-to-door survey and others, the Covid-19 admissions have come down and discharge of patients have increased. “It is a welcome sign,” he said.
Rao directed the officials to keep equipment and medicines at ENT hospital in Koti to treat black fungus patients. He wanted the officials to call for global tenders for Covid-19 vaccine. At the same time, talks should continue with the Central government for getting required vaccine stocks for the State, he said.
The Centre has so far provided 57,30,220 doses of vaccines to the State. The available stock now is 1,86,780 doses of vaccines, of which 58,230 doses are of Covaxin and 1,28,550 doses are of Covishield, the officials informed the Chief Minister.
New medical colleges
The CM announced that the government was ready to start new medical and nursing colleges in Sangareddy, Jagitial, Kothagudem, Wanaparthy, Mancherial and Mahabubabad. Nursing colleges would be started at all the existing medical colleges. The CM also directed the officials to start 12 regional sub-centres.
Hyderabad to get multiple O2 plants
Chief Minister KCR directed officials to set up a 100-tonne capacity medical oxygen plant in Hyderabad. He also told them to set up six plants with 16 tonnes capacity, 15 plants with eight tonnes, and 27 plants with four tonnes capacity in the District and Area hospitals.