The Andhra Pradesh government has converted Road Transport Corporation (RTC) buses into treatment facilities for COVID-19 patients who live in remote and inaccessible areas of the state. Transport Minister Perni Venkataramaiah on Thursday said that the RTC sleeper buses, equipped with oxygen cylinders, would be stationed in forest areas, which lack adequate medical and health infrastructure. The authorities chose the luxury bus services to convert them into COVID-19 facilities. Minister Perni Nani along with APSRTC Vice-Chairman and Managing Director RP Thakur visited and inspected one such mobile COVID-19 center at Vijayawada's Pandit Nehru Bus Station (PNBS).
So far, as many as 17 buses were modified and are being stationed at Buttayigudem, KR Puram and other places under the forest Integrated Tribal Development Agency (ITDA) of West Godavari district and other places of the state. Each bus can treat at least 10 patients as 10 beds were accommodated. These COVID-19 facility buses are called Sanjeevani. The Minister said that modified sleeper buses are being equipped with oxygen beds, while stating that these services are meant to address medical care issues in remote areas.
Speaking to the media, Perni said, "These buses will be stationed at local PHCs and provide treatment for the patient. The required power supply will be taken from the hospital, each bus will have three ACs to serve the patients 24 hours with oxygen facility until their condition is stabilised if they require further advanced treatment they will be shifted to higher hospitals."
Andhra Pradesh has been reporting COVID-19 cases from rural and interior areas for the past many days. On an average, the state has been clocking around 17,000 COVID-19 cases per day, while nearly 100 persons are succumbing to the virus. Meanwhile, as per the latest media bulletin released by COVID-19 State Command Control the state saw 16,167 new cases taking the count of the active cases to 1,86,782.
With IANS inputs