Vizianagaram: Post Covid, healthcare infra ramped up significantly
District headquarters hospital in Vizianagaram and Collector A Suryakumari
Vizianagaram: The Covid-19 has raised several doubts on the strength of health infrastructure in the district but with in short span, the district administration could change the situation here with the support of State government.
Maharaja district hospital and Area Hospital in Parvathipuram along with community health centres have attained additional infrastructure and added services to support the public.
Andhra Pradesh Medical Services and Infrastructure Development Corporation (APMSIDC) has been augmenting the infrastructure in healthcare sector with at least Rs 760 crore, including government medical colleges, super-speciality hospital, construction of new hospital buildings and setting up of labs in the district.
The Covid-19 pandemic has exposed the lapses in the public sector in providing healthcare across the nation. It exposed the dire need to rebuild public health infrastructure. Therefore, the government of Andhra Pradesh has constituted APMSIDC to develop the infrastructure in government hospitals.
They have started development works Rs 760 crore including government medical college in Vizianagaram with Rs 500 crore, 150-bed super speciality hospital at Parvathipuram at a cost of Rs 49.26 crore and an RT-PCR lab in the same town with Rs 35 lakh.
They have been establishing oxygen pipelines in 81 ICUs and 338 non-ICUs in 9 hospitals at a cost of Rs 3.18 crore in the district. However, they have completed the works in 51 ICUs and 213 non-ICUs.
Apart from these, oxygen plants have been set up at Maharaja Central Hospital and Parvathipuram Area Hospital. Apart from this, various PHCs and CHCs are also being upgraded with additional beds. As many as 68 projects worth Rs 48.24 crore are under progress in PHC up gradation including 12 new PHCs.
They have also been augmenting the healthcare infrastructure in community and area hospitals with Rs 58.10 crore of NABARD funds.
Speaking to The Hans India, District Collector A Suryakumari said, "We were earlier lagging behind in health infrastructure aspect but now the situation has completely changed. Capacity of the oxygen plant has been significantly hiked at MR hospital," she said.
The RT-PCR lab at Parvathipuram and CHC at Bobbili were completed. "Construction works are under progress at various community health centres and once they are completed, we can provide quality services in our district and our public need not go to Vizag or some other cities for better services," the Collector said.