The Andhra Pradesh Government on Monday appealed to the medical professionals and civil society to help the state procure medical equipment. The state has also called for volunteers to help the state contain the spread of CVOID-19.
The state has appealed to philanthropic organisations, trusts, NGO, corporate social responsibility (CSR) heads of organisations, all the service organisations and individuals to give the assistance to the government in fighting the coronavirus pandemic.
Through a letter, the KS Jawahar Reddy special chief secretary (health), has sought assistance in procuring medical materials like surgical masks, N95 masks, PPEs (Personal protective equipment), sanitizers, etc. The state has also sought mobile x-ray machines, ventilators, pulse oximeters and BiPAPs (Bilevel Positive Airway Pressure) machines.
Medical personnel, including specialist MBBS doctors, paramedics and other support staff, are also being requested to assist the state government in fighting the disease.
Non-medical volunteers between the age group of 20 to 35 to work at quarantine centres, isolation wards are also being sought after to provide food, water, linen sheets, sanitation transport and logistics support at quarantine centres isolation wards at hospitals where COVID-19 patients are being treated.
Those who wish to assist the Andhra Pradesh government can contact respective district collectors and district revenue officers who have been appointed as nodal officers to coordinate efforts at the district level.
The Andhra Pradesh government on Monday shut down Vijayawada’s Krishnalanka, an area comprising six municipal wards, after one positive COVID-19 case was detected. The residents have been instructed not to leave their homes and only leave after obtaining permission from the local police, and while wearing masks and carrying sanitisers.
The shutdown was announced after a resident of the area who had recently returned from Mecca tested positive for COVID-19. The 65-year-old man had recently travelled to Mecca, returning to Hyderabad on March 9. The state has so far recorded 23 positive cases, out of which 21 are active cases.