Ongole : Add beds at local level to reduce pressure on GGH, officials told

Ongole : The Prakasam district Collector Dr Pola Bhaskara ordered the officials to make arrangements to provide treatment to the Covid patients locally instead of sending everyone to GGH Ongole.

In the meeting held at the GGH Ongole, after inspecting the oxygen plant, the Collector ordered the officials to increase the beds at the district hospital in Markapuram and Area Hospital in Kandukur.

He said that the doctors at the PHCs and CHCs are referring the patients to the GGH Ongole quoting that they don't have any beds. He ordered them to send the patients to Ongole, only if there is an emergency and provide the treatment locally to other patients.

He directed them to implement the Chief Minister's orders to provide a bed to the patient in three months in an emergency, without fail.

He told them to ensure the availability of beds at the government and private hospitals in real-time and follow the protocol stipulated by the government in shifting the patients from one hospital to another. He warned that action will be taken on the private hospitals, if they admit patients with no severity or not referred by the doctors.

The Collector advised the hospital managements to see no oxygen is wasted. He asked the private hospitals to maintain enough stock of oxygen and see the help desks work perfectly. He also told the officials to allow the hospital associated with the Maddipadu PHC and Police PTC as the Covid Care Centres.

SP Siddharth Kaushal instructed the officials to bring to his notice, if the private hospitals resort to any irregularities or black-market any drugs.

Joint Collector TS Chetan, GGH Ongole Superintendent Dr D Sriramulu, RIMS principal Dr Rajamannar, DMHO Dr P Ratnavali, DCHS Dr S Usharani, APMSIDC EE Ravi and other officials also participated in the meeting.