Anantapur: Vulnerable groups not left behind in Covid-19 testing

Anantapur: District Collector Gandham Chandrudu revealed that as many as 1,479 covid positive persons recovered after treatment have been discharged from covid hospitals in the district. The discharged persons were advised to spend 14 days in home isolation before they join the mainstream of life. Each covid patient has been given Rs 2,000 covid allowance to meet post recovery needs. So far, 2.03 lakh covid tests have been conducted in the district, he said and added covid tests which started with 287 blood samples in March 2020, have now graduated to 84,554 tests in July and in August so far 50,466 tests were conducted.

Talking to The Hans India Chandrudu stated that the vulnerable age groups, who are above middle age are the focused sections, are being covered under the covid testing programme in a most planned and systematic manner.

He said that special attention was given to regions where covid positive cases are concentrated and where more deaths are reported. He said the district administration was working with municipal commissioners in urban areas and Tahsildars in rural areas to cover the targeted population.

Those above 60 years and were ailing with long-term diseases are given priority for treatment and for collection of blood samples through the ANM's and Asha workers. The collector said that Veera medical organisation has been roped in to conduct mobile testing of people by going to their very town, village and doorstep.

As many as 9 I-Masq buses with 27 teams have fanned out into the needy regions of the district and are aggressively covering the general population particularly the targeted vulnerable sections, he said. Besides 3 Sanjeevini buses, 100 primary health centres, 19 urban health centres and 2 district government hospitals including 150 centres in the district are engaged in covid testing on any given day in the district.

The district administration under the leadership of Gandham Chandrudu had launched a no-holds-barred campaign to save the population from the virus attack and more so by building confidence in them that this is just another virus which we are poised to overcome. 3,500 tests through Rapid Antigen kits and another 3,500 tests through Veera and Sanjeevini mobile testing units are on progress. The collector has even taken initiative to solve financial grievances of the mobile testing staff by taking the issue to the state government and amicably solving them as the staff are working day and night without break even during week ends.

The collector has won laurels from the Centre and state governments as well for his meticulous planning and war-foot testing of people with a missionary zeal.