Focused testing, prioritised vaccination and enhanced medical infrastructure are at the core of the strategy
Even as Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S.Jagan Mohan Reddy is studying various proposals to improve health infrastructure in the state, Covid-19 has thrown up a new challenge prompting him to immediately initiate a sustained strategy to check the pandemic situation.
Strictly adhering to the guidelines and advice from the Union government and in close coordination with World Health Organisation (WHO) teams, Jagan Reddy’s administration has swiftly swung into action to combat the infection.
Following the health road map already laid by his late father,Dr.Y.S.Rajasekhara Reddy, in the united Andhra Pradesh when the latter was Chief Minister, Jagan Reddy has brought Covid treatment under YSR Aarogyasri, covering more than 90 per cent of the population for free treatment in all the network hospitals.
The Sri Krishna Committee stated that the combined public expenditure on healthcare as a share of the undivided state's domestic product declined from 1.29 per cent in the 7th Five Year Plan to 0.96 per cent in the 8th Five Year Plan and had further declined to 0.76 per cent by 2005-06. Thus, there was a continuous decline in budget allocation to health services even before bifurcation. Understanding the factual conditions, Jagan Reddy’s government in its first budget announced the expansion of YSR Aarogyasri, a free health insurance scheme for the poor, to cover all the households with annual incomes of less than Rs 5 lakh and all cases where medical expenses cross Rs 1,000 without any limit on the cost of treatment.
In view of the severe second wave of Covid-19 and a possible third wave, an adequate allocation has been made to deal with the pandemic, while strengthening medical and health infrastructure in the State. Treatment of black fungus, which is reported in patients recovering from Covid-19, has been brought under the ambit of YSR Aarogyasri. Sufficient funds are made available for ‘108’ and ‘104’ emergency medical services that are being extensively used in the fight against Covid-19. The government is also establishing 16 new medical colleges in the State.
A three-pronged strategy is being implemented to tackle the surge. District collectors have been given powers to take over private hospitals to arrange for beds for Covid-19 patients. As such, the number of Covid-19 hospitals in the state has been increased to 649 as the government took over some private hospitals. These hospitals have 87,845 beds including 47,169 beds with ICU facilities. Besides empanelled network hospitals in State, a tie-up has been arranged with 112 corporate hospitals in Hyderabad, Chennai, and Bangalore to Aarogyasri services to help the health cardholders.
In April, the government has approved the appointment of 1,170 specialists, 1,170 general duty medical officers, 2,000 staff nurses, and 306 anaesthesia technicians. The new recruitments are mainly to handle the current surge in the Covid-19 cases. These recruitments are in addition to the appointment of 3,145 medical and paramedical staff to fill vacancies and newly sanctioned posts in 2020.
The Andhra Pradesh government has changed its strategy of testing Covid-19 patients. Unlike random testing done in the first wave, the administration is now concentrating on focused testing. A focused vaccination strategy has been adopted with priority being given to those with symptoms. With the change in strategy number of tests done in a day crossed 60,000 now.
Similarly, utmost priority is given to contact tracing, community surveillance, and the sentinel surveillance systems being implemented. During the first wave in 2020, five rounds of door-to-door survey were conducted involving 4.26 lakh health care workers assisted by 14,947 village volunteers attached to the Village Secretariat system. Door-to-door surveys are a continuous process now. Intensive surveys are being conducted as and when fresh cases are reported to identify people having symptoms and provide them with medical assistance.
From having zero testing labs in March to having the maximum number of government-run labs as of date, the state has come a long way by establishing 78 testing labs in government hospitals and 54 labs in private hospitals.
Andhra Pradesh set a new record by administering Covid-19 vaccine to 13.59 lakh beneficiaries on June 20 last surpassing its record of giving 6.28 lakh jabs in a single day on April 14. In another mega drive on July 27, as many as 11,50,911 people were vaccinated. Priority has been given to teachers after the government decided to resume schools from August 16. The cumulative number of Covid-19 vaccine doses administered in the state as of August 1 touched 2,18,87,925.
(The writer is Advisor, national media and inter-state affairs to Andhra Pradesh government. The views expressed are personal.)