KCR for two-pronged strategy to check Covid spread

Hyderabad, May 24 (IANS) Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao on Monday directed officials to implement a two-pronged strategy to curtail the Covid-19 spread in the state.

He asked them to continue fever survey, and distribute medical kits, while also ramping up testing.

Reviewing the Covid situation at a high-level meeting, he said that the on-going fever survey and distribution of medical kits, the first of its kind in the country, is yielding good results and it should be continued.

KCR, as Rao is popularly known, directed the Medical and Health Department to increase the number of Rapid Antigen Test Kits in all the medical centres. He said from Tuesday the number of kits should be increased and if need be, the manufacturers should be asked to increase the production and supply.

He wanted officials to ensure that no one coming to primary health centres is denied a Covid test. "A majority of people who come to take the tests are the poor. Hence don't deny even a single test. Increase the distribution of medical kits as well as number of tests," he said.

He directed them to increase Rapid Antigen Test Kits to 50 lakh and distribute them to the PHCs and all the testing labs.

He also reiterated that the funds and spending money should not be any constraint to take measures to control the spread of Corona in the state.

KCR asked Finance Minister Harish Rao to review on the departments such as police, medical and health whose expenditure is increased due to the lockdown and enhance their budget, and also identify the departments whose expenditure is reduced due to the lockdown.

Stating that the government is ready to spend any amount to curtain Covid, he said if necessary, the government would take loans. He said the entire situation is grim due to Corona and black fungus.

The CM also instructed the officials concerned to be on a high alert to face the situation arising out when a third wave occurs.

He suggested that all the beds should be converted into oxygen beds and measures be taken to increase oxygen production in the state to 600 tonnes.

He asked Corona Task Force Team chairman and minister K.T. Rama Rao talk to the vaccine manufacturers to supply the required vaccinations to the state to administer the second dose to the people who are waiting in large numbers in the state.

Stating that the percentage of corona positivity rate is on the decrease, KCR said that "if we can get the percentage to 5, we will be called victorious".

He called for a study of the situation in places like Delhi where the Corona spread was controlled and if need be, a medical team should visit Delhi.

"So far we are getting good results in reducing percentage of corona. But we have to work to reduce its percentage of spread further. We have to learn from the good experiences and there is nothing wrong in it. Reports suggest that Delhi government is successfully curtailing the spread. Maharashtra also achieved good results in curtailing the spread. Find out what are the other states where the corona spread is curtailing to a large extent and what are the measures and action plan they have taken," the CM told the officials.

The Medical and Health Department officials informed the CM that for the black fungus patients, 150 beds were allotted in Gandhi Hospital and 250 in the ENT Hospital. He said the bed strength for the black fungus patients should be increased to 1,500 - 1,100 beds in Hyderabad and 400 beds in districts.

KCR wanted all the medicines used in the treatment of black fungus should be made available and orders should be placed for the required numbers. He called for increasing the stock of posaconazole medicine and recruitment of doctors on a war footing to contain the spread of black fungus.

"People from the neighbouring states are coming here for the treatment of Covid and black fungus. The state's population is four crore. But in the case of corona treatment, it should be counted as 10 crore. It appears that we cannot escape from giving treatment to people coming from other states," he said.