To provide oxygen support and on-the-spot treatment to patients in remote tribal, hilly areas, the Andhra Pradesh government is refurbishing few of its state transport sleeper buses into Covid-19 care facilities.
Two such transformed air-conditioned Vennela buses, renamed as Sanjeevini, each with a 10-bed capacity, would be deployed as a pilot at the Buttayagudem Community Health Centre and KR Puram Primary Health Centre in the West Godavari district.
The Jaganmohan Reddy government plans to have at least 10 such buses, each equipped with five O2 concentrators and three AC machines, to extend the Covid-19 care to the remote regions with scarce health care facilities. These buses are planned to be placed in north Andhra districts of East Godavari, Visakhapatnam, Vizianagaram and Srikakulam.
“Since it would be difficult for an ambulance to reach far off hamlets, villages in the forests, hills like that of Araku at a short notice, these buses stationed nearby would help provide immediate medical attention and also oxygen support to the needy patients. If required, patients can be later shifted to the hospitals,” state transport minister Perni Venkataramaiah said, after inspecting Covid-19 care facilities in the bus.
Andhra Pradesh is reeling under a surge in cases in the ongoing Covid-19 second wave. Though the daily new positive case numbers have come down below the 20-thousand mark in the last few days, the state reporting over 100 deaths daily has become a concern.
The health department reported 16,167 new cases on Thursday morning, out of the 84,224 samples tested. The death toll of the last 24 hours is 104.
AP has over 1.86 lakh active cases at present and the total deaths since March last year are 10,531.
“These Sanjeevani buses are as per the CM's idea to provide prompt medical support to people in tribal etc areas, in a comfortable environment. Three 1.5 tonne capacity AC machines would be fitted to each AC bus and power would be drawn from external source like from the PHC where the bus stands,” Perni said.
The minister said that Greenko, a renewable energy company, has come forward to donate 50 oxygen concentrators and 30 AC machines.