AP COVID Command Control Centre Reinstated

AMARAVATI: The Andhra Pradesh government on Thursday has issued orders to immediately reinstate the State-level COVID Command Control Centre.  The Centre has been established as part of the government’s preparedness to fight the potential third wave of COVID-19 and to take steps to prevent an increase in the cases related to the new variant Omicron and ensure medical services are made available to patients.

The Centre was set up to effectively monitor the implementation of COVID regulations, provide quality medical care to patients in public and private hospitals, COVID care centers, the maintenance of 104 call centers, ensure availability of oxygen supply, medical equipment, supply of home isolation kits, for the conduct of fever surveys, and emergency medications across Andhra Pradesh.

The COVID Command Centre is chaired by the Chief Secretary (CS) of the state government. CS Dr. Sameer Sharma on Wednesday issued orders to this effect. As per the government order, senior IAS officers in the state were assigned specific duties for monitoring and guiding the district administration in taking necessary steps for COVID management and vaccination.

Command Control Centre Officers, roles and responsibilities

►MT Krishna Babu: Measures to ensure quality food supply, hygiene monitoring, and oxygen availability to patients at COVID Care Centers

► M.Ravichandra: Establishment and maintenance of COVID Command Control Centres at District level, ensure availability of trained medical personnel at Covid Care Centers, management of 104 Call Centers, provide daily information on COVID cases, mobilization of public, coordination with Joint Collectors, NGOs, and UNICEF in relief activities.

► A.Babu: Ensuring efficient functioning of 104 call centers at State and district level, monitoring of help desks and CCTV system.

► V.Vinaychand: Streamline and supervise COVID medical services, lab management, mobile medical units, ambulance services at Arogya Sree Hospitals.

► Muralidhar Reddy: Purchase of COVID drugs, medical equipment, oxygen, PSA plants, ensure that medical equipment and ventilators function properly, and availability of trained medical personnel.

► J. Subrahmanyam: Collection of details of COVID cases, analysis, preparation of reports, coordination with District Collectors on a daily basis to prevent the increase of positive cases at the village and ward secretariat level and take effective measures.

► IAS officers G. Srujana, Shanmohan, IRTS Officer Vasudeva Reddy: Medical Oxygen Supply, Industrial Units, Coordination with Railways, LMO Production and Allocation responsibility

► V.Vinod Kumar: Clinical management and training, clinical management protocol, ensure supply of ventilators, availability of other equipment.

► Ravi Shankar‌: Availability of emergency medicines, control of drug prices.

► GS‌. Naveen Kumar: Monitoring fever surveys in the State, distribution of home isolation kits, coordination with concerned Central Government Departments.

As part of the vaccination drive in the State AP Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has directed state officials to focus on scaling up vaccination in five districts (East Godavari, Guntur, YSR Kadapa, Vizianagaram, and Srikakulam) with the lowest second dose vaccination. 

Also Read: AP Govt to Scale-up Vaccination Drive in 5 Districts