Even as the district headquarters hospital here continues to witness a steady inflow of patients suffering from seasonal ailments, Collector R.V. Karnan on Monday made an on-the-spot assessment of the arrangements at the hospital to handle the surge in number.

Mr Karnan visited the trauma care centre and other wings of the hospital during his surprise visit to the 400-bed capacity major State-run health facility here. The number of patients far exceeds the actual bed strength of the hospital owing to the spurt in cases of seasonal diseases following inclement weather conditions in the district.

He asked hospital superintendent Venkateshwarlu to immediately arrange for additional beds in other wards of the hospital, including the Wellness Centre, to cope with the increase in the number of patients requiring hospitalisation.

He wanted the hospital authorities to constantly monitor the health condition of the in-patients and ensure prompt treatment in a congenial atmosphere. He also advised them to spread public health awareness with a focus on preventive healthcare and allay fears about dengue fever. Mr. Karnan then visited the hospital’s kitchen and asked the staff to keep its premises clean.

Later, he toured Pathakaraigudem and Lankasagar villages in Penuballi mandal where he reviewed the progress of implementation of the ongoing 30-day village development action plan. He conducted padayatras in both the villages and monitored the implementation of sanitation and other activities taken up as part of the month-long special drive.