Covid-19 3rd wave: Jagan Reddy govt in Andhra sets up pediatric hospitals for children

Taking cognisance of apprehensions made by health experts about the probable Covid third wave targeting children, the state government of Andhra Pradesh has started setting up pediatric super care hospitals in major cities. According to an Indian Express report, the government is setting up such hospitals in Vijayawada, Tirupati and Visakhapatnam. The government action comes in the wake of health experts warning the world of the probable third wave which will predominantly target the children. Experts have argued that since children have not been vaccinated they remain most vulnerable to the virus which has already undergone several mutations to spread among the human population.

An official told the Indian Express that CM Jagan Mohan Reddy has already directed officials to formulate an action plan to save the children from the feared third Coronavirus wave. The official also said that the health infrastructure is being boosted up to cater to young children and treatment methods for children are also being prepared.

In order to avoid the oxygen shortage encountered across different parts of the country, the state government has also made arrangements for procuring the Oxygen cylinders and concentrators and supplying the same to the community health centres and primary health institutions in the state.

Deputy CM A Krishna Srinivas was quoted as saying that the 30 percent incentive offered to set up an oxygen generation plant at private hospitals’ premises had been utilised by many hospitals. The Jagan Mohan Reddy government has also written to the central government requesting it to recall the stocks of 30 lakh unused vaccine doses with the private hospitals in the state. Srinivas who also holds the Health Ministry was quoted as saying that out of the 35 lakh vaccine doses sold to private hospitals, only 4.63 lakh could be administered till now. The minister also said that the state is in acute need of vaccines as it is now planning to vaccinate teachers and education staff to facilitate early opening of schools.