Warangal: What if the third wave targets children?

Warangal: Not withstanding the contrasting theories surrounding the third wave of Covid-19 whether it may or may not affect children, there was an imperative need for the hospitals to focus on human resources, drug requirements and infrastructure in dealing with the pandemic. The Hans India analysed the readiness of the paediatric ward in the Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Hospital (MGMH), the Covid-19 designated facility, and other children care centres.

It is an undeniable fact that Covid-19's second wave exposed the State's underprepared health infrastructure as the hospitals ran short of ventilators, medicines, lab technicians, especially oxygen. It led to the death of a large number of people across the country. According to the epidemiologists, the third wave is likely to start from September-October. Against this backdrop, there was a need for the healthcare authorities to prepare a manual for preparation, prevention and planning for the Covid-19 third wave that is likely to impact the children.

The MGMH's Paediatric Department is the only resort for the child healthcare in the erstwhile Warangal district. It's difficult to find paediatricians in the State-run hospitals here. As far as the infrastructure is concerned, the MGMH needs to ramp it up considerably, or else, the authorities need to run around like how it struggled in the second wave when they witnessed a sudden spurt in Covid-19 cases.

Speaking to The Hans India, Dr S Satish, paediatrician attached to Sri Krishna Children's Hospital in Hanamkonda, said, "It's very unlikely that children alone bear the brunt of Covid-19 third wave. Barring a very few, majority of children, who contracted coronavirus, had recovered without the need for hospitalisation. We will definitely have a problem to deal with if the third wave really targets children. Apart from the State-run MGMH, there are just four to five private paediatric centres in the city that have facilities to treat the children. The primary and community health centres may have come in handy in treating the adults infected with the virus, but it's altogether different to handle the children."

MGMH Superintendent V Chandrasekhar said, "We have been mapping out an action plan in case the third wave catches up with the children. We have earmarked 100 beds exclusively for the children, in addition to the existing 180 beds in the paediatric ward. The number may go up based on requirement." Referring to the equipment, he said that they have 23 paediatric ventilators. The MGMH has three professors, three associate professors and six assistant professors in the paediatric department. Based on need, more medical officers will be inducted, Dr Chandrasekhar said.