Union Minister of State for Home G. Kishan Reddy on Tuesday appealed to the TS government to recruit more doctors, paramedical, technical personnel and other healthcare workers providing special allowances on war footing to deal with the COVID cases in the second wave.
“I urge the TS Government to focus on upgrading and improving the healthcare infrastructure in each of the government facilities. Gandhi Hospital too is likely to get 300 beds more in the coming days accommodated in the library premises with oxygen lines being laid. This will be in addition to the 1200 beds," he said.
The Minister, talking to the media, after inspecting the COVID wards and the new oxygen supply plants of 1,000 litres each with aid of 'PM Cares' , appreciated the "dedicated and courageous" services being rendered by the doctors and staff here. Similar plants are going to be set up at TIMES, Gachibowli, King Koti Hospital, ESI Hospital and AIIMS-Bibnagar.
Mr.Kishan Reddy also appealed to the Government to hold talks with the junior doctors who had issued a strike notice. "The junior doctors met me and explained their demands like provision of medical care at NIMS for them and their families, insurance package for frontline COVID healthcare workers be made applicable for them. I advised them not to go for strike at this moment and hold discussions with the officials concerned"," he said.
The Centre had provided 4,000 ventilators but some of them were not being used or needed repairs so the Government should ensure qualified technicians are employed to make them functional. After having met 110 year old Swami Ramananda Teertha who was recovering from COVID inside the ward, the Minister said he should be an inspiration to others not to panic but give confidence and psychological support to the COVID positive patients to help them recover faster, he added.
