Covid third wave to hit India soon. How well are the States prepared?

In view of AIIMS director Dr Randeep Guleria caution that the Covid third wave is 'inevitable' and it could hit the country in the next six to eight weeks, Etv Bharat takes a look at the preparedness the States are initiating to counter the deadly third wave where children will be the prime targets.

Hyderabad: Medical experts across the nation are wary that India is not far behind the onslaught of a third wave of Covid-19, and if the predictions are anything to go then by October the pandemic will sweep most parts of the country. On Saturday, AIIMS director Dr Randeep Guleria said the Covid third wave is 'inevitable' and it could hit the country in the next six to eight weeks where there could be public health threat specially to children for at least another year.

Maharashtra:

The BMC and Maharashtra government are setting up Pediatric Covid Care Wards across the city. The ward is slated to come up at the NESCO Jumbo Covid Care Centre in Goregaon, east suburb of Mumbai, with 700 beds.

A dedicated Pediatric Covid Care Ward (with 300 beds) comprising Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) and Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) with a capacity of 25 beds each to cater to the infants affected by the third wave pandemic.

Tamil Nadu:

The State administration will continue to add beds, particularly in neonatal and paediatric units, in hospitals and covid care in Tamil Nadu as part of its preparation for the third wave, said health minister M. Subramanian.

A 250-bed exclusive ward for children will be opened at the Institute of Child Health besides expanding paediatric wards in the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital, Stanley Medical College Hospital and Kilpauk Medical College Hospital.

The Tamil Nadu Directorate of Medical Education has issued a set of guidelines for preparedness and management of the possible third wave of Covid-19 cases. Each institution has been asked to keep 100 beds ready with oxygen facility and monitors for ICU care for children. No paediatrician or staff nurse of the pediatric ward can be posted out of regular duty rotation. A minimum of 1/4th of staff nurses at the hospitals should be trained in batches to attend to emergencies in the pediatric ward.

Karnataka:

Paediatric wards and oxygen generation plants are being set up at all district hospitals in the state to ensure preparedness for a possible third wave of the Covid-19, Karnataka Health Minister Dr Sudhakar K said on 1st June 2021.

A dedicated 70-80 bed pediatrics ward will be arranged in all district hospitals. Further, the state will establish children’s hospitals and increase the number of ICU beds in existing facilities.

Telangana:

State health officials have said that all district hospitals will have separate paediatric wards. Increasing bed and oxygen supply capacity would be the prime focus for the third wave. Children's hospital Niloufer has 1,000 beds now. In addition another 1,500 beds would be created.

Kerala:

The state health department issued new guidelines stating that a toolkit has been developed to streamline the treatment of SARS COV2 infection and MIS-C (Multisystem inflammatory syndrome-C) in Children.

Since the third wave is expected to affect children adversely, pediatric ICUs are being readied at hospitals in all districts. Neo-natal ICUs and children ICUs will be arranged for separately at these places. Nodal pediatric centres will be put up in the districts to handle expected case load.

Gujarat:

The Ahmedabad District Development Officer (DDO) Arun Mahesh Babu said that children have been categorised into three age groups for the segregation of data.

Arrangements are being made for pediatric ventilators, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) and Paediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) at government hospitals. Babu said discussions are underway to have 20 pediatric hospitals for such arrangements and 14 pediatric specialists have been identified. In addition, pediatric training is also underway at 16 medical colleges.

Delhi:

Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal has asked the concerned officials in the state to gear up preparations to face any eventuality in the event of third wave. He said, “If the third wave of corona emerges, we must be prepared in advance to fight it." The state government is all set to create a special task force to protect children from the third wave. It will also arrange adequate beds, oxygen and better management of essential medicines to face the imminent crisis.

The north and east corporations have decided to speed up work to renovate or set up children wards which had been halt due to worst pandemic situation in Delhi.