Araku Valley gets 160-bed Covid centre

Visakhapatnam: As home isolation in the Agency turns out to be a challenging task for Covid patients, Araku Valley is all set to get a 160-bed Covid Care Centre (CCC).

Since 85 percent of the coronavirus patients in the Agency are either asymptomatic or suffer from mild symptoms, the new CCC aims at reaching out to the patients who do not have the facility to isolate themselves at home. In rural pockets, joint family system continues to exist. In such a set-up, availing home isolation becomes tough for the Covid-affected persons.

With a 200-bed CCC being functional at Paderu, the ITDA officials say that once this facility crosses 60-70 percent occupancy, the Araku Valley centre will be utilised.

Sharing details with The Hans India, Integrated Tribal Development Agency (ITDA) Project Officer (PO) S Venkateswar says that the facility at Araku will be operational at the Youth Training Centre for the Covid patients. "Right now, there are minimum discharges at the two-week old Paderu CCC. With limited medical staff, monitoring becomes easy when the patients are admitted at one place," says the PO, visiting the facility. Apart from the medication, Venkateswar says the focus is also on providing nutritious meals to the patients who get admitted at the CCCs.

With oxygen beds available in District Hospital in Paderu and Araku Valley, critical patients will be shifted there for further treatment. Next, Chintapalli mandal too will house a 160-bed CCC in another three days. But along with the medical staff, the ITDA officials mention, there is a requirement of permanent anaesthetists.