Equipped with oxygen concentrators, they are used to treat COVID-19 patients in remote villages
Transportation Secretary Perni Venkataramaiah said Thursday that the AP State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC) is converting their sleeper buses (Vennela) into mobile hospitals with oxygen concentrators to extend ambulance services to the COVID-19-affected people in the state’s remote villages and agency areas.
The minister inspected a model of ‘Sanjeevani’ at the Pandit Nehru bus station, where APSRTC Vice Chairman and General Manager RP Thakur explained the technical specifications of the new initiative to him.
Emergency services
The minister said that as the virus spread to rural and remote areas in the second wave, people in many areas of the agency would have problems due to a lack of medical facilities. The ambulance service, vital in rescuing those infected with the virus, has been a challenge.
Prime Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy recognized the urgent need and proposed that emergency services be set up with these buses, the minister said.
As a pilot, Mr. Venkataramaiah said 17 RTC buses had been remodeled for medical use by the Amba Coach Factory in Krishna District, while Green Co. donated 50 oxygen concentrators and three air conditioners.
An alternative power supply would keep the oxygen concentrators and air conditioning systems working properly, he said, adding that these vehicles would expand medical services at places like Buttayagudem Primary Health Center and KR Puram ITDA PHC in West Godavari District.
10 bed facility
Each bus has 10 beds. In areas with no hospital or with a lack of oxygen beds, each of these vehicles can treat 10 people at a time, he said.
The minister said that the inconvenience of handling oxygen bottles in Rajamahendravaram led them to switch to oxygen concentrators.
APSRTC officers A. Koteswara Rao, KS Brahmanadam, P. Krishna Mohan, G. Venkateswara Rao, Nagendra Kumar and others were present.