Anne Ferrer, a well known social worker and co-founder and Executive Director of Rural Development Trust (RDT), tested positive for coronavirus on Monday. Anne, who is 73, is being treated at RDT COVID-19 Hospital in Bathalapalli of Anantapuram, Andhra Pradesh. The Trust has dedicated the hospital for COVID-19 treatment.
According to the medical team, Ferrer is showing mild symptoms and they decided to admit her to ensure a speedy recovery and a proper follow-up. Moncho Ferrer, RDT Programme Director and son of Anne, stated, “My mother is feeling fine and she is getting the best medical assistance from a committed and professional team.”
Anne Ferrer and her husband Vincente Ferrer set up the Rural Development Trust (popularly called RDT) in 1969 in Anantapuram district to serve the disadvantaged sections in parts of Telangana and drought-prone Rayalaseema region.
RDT is known for its commendable social service for the betterment of the tribals, Dalits, women and other vulnerable sections in over 3,291 villages across six districts of the region — Anantapuram, Kurnool, Guntur and Prakasam of Andhra Pradesh, and undivided Mahaboobnagar and Nalgonda of Telangana state.
RDT's Bathalapalli Hospital is one of the first centres in the district of Anantapuram to be designated as a COVID-19 hospital by the District Collector. RDT has roped in all its medical resources, amenities, facilities as well as manpower available to fight the COVID-19 pandemic.
In April, on the occasion of the centenary celebrations of Vicente Ferrer, who passed away in 2009, RDT donated Rs 3 crore for COVID-19 relief activities in Anantapuram district.
While the state has as many as 51,701 COVID-19 active cases, at least 5,132 are from the Anantapuram district with 86 fatalities and 5,029 recoveries. As on Monday, Andhra Pradesh has reported 1,02,349 positive cases so far, with 49,558 discharges with 1,090 deaths.