The COVID care centers run by NGOs provide immense relief to COVID patients who cannot have the luxury of being isolated in a separate room in their homes, nor can they afford treatment in private hospitals.
The centers of the Vijnana Vihara School in Gudilova and Sri Krishna Vidya Mandir, operated by RSS, and the COVID isolation centers in Visakhapatnam and Araku, operated by Alluri Sitaramaraju Vignana Kendram, offer Yeoman services to these people.
The 40-bed COVID care center in Sri Krishna Vidya Mandir, Dwarakanagar, operated with the support of BVK and Vivekananda Medical Trust, provides oxygen beds for those in need.
“People with a saturation level of 92 and above can apply for approval provided they submit a COVID positive report. Medical advice, food and oxygen are provided free of charge. The patient has to buy the prescribed drugs. Doctors will provide services around the clock in three shifts, ”said V. Chakrapani, who is in charge of the center.
“A poor woman from Anandapuram who had no money to buy medicines also received medicines sponsored by Vizag Round Table 77 and Walkers Club International and Rotary Club,” he said.
The 120-bed COVID center in Gudilova does not have an oxygen bed system and only accepts patients with an oxygen saturation level of 95 and more. Medical services are offered free of charge, apart from free food and medicine. Yoga classes are held daily and milk is given three times a day. The diet for patients includes an egg for breakfast and dinner.
The Alluri Sitaramaraju Vignana Kendram provides isolation facilities for patients in Araku and in the city’s CPI (M) office.
The Sarada Niketan School in Araku operates a 50-bed isolation center for tribal people, and the NPR Bhavan (CPI-M) office in the city operates a 40-bed isolation facility for patients in need. The Vignana Kendram provides medicines and food free of charge to patients, and doctors monitor the patient’s health.
Vignana Kendram Chairman Ch. Narasinga Rao, Secretary B. Ganga Rao, Treasurer VS Padmanabha Raju and Directors K. Lokanadham and B. Padma oversee the activities of these isolation centers from time to time.