Telangana: Officials convert government school into Covid care unit for tribals of Nallamala forest

HYDERABAD: After the tribal hamlets in Nallamala forests started reporting positive cases, forest staff of Amrabad tiger reserve along with a corporate hospital have transformed a government residential school in the area into an isolation centre.
After scouting for a place to set up the centre for a week, hospital authorities and forest staff have decided to convert Telangana Social Welfare Girls Residential School and College into an isolation centre, where people with Covid-19 are now admitted to. The decision to set up an isolation centre came after it surfaced that locals, especially those residing in tribal hamlets of the forest, were isolating in the fields due to lack of facilities.
“The idea was to help both tribals and non-tribals who reside in the area get access to a decent isolation centre. Those who live in the forest reside in small, thatched huts were isolating themselves in the fields if they contracted infection. While the idea to set up the isolation centre was first floated by the corporate hospital, the forest staff along with a few local representatives pitched in to get permissions from the health department,” said Amrabad forest divisional officer (FDO) Rohit Gopidi.
The district medical and health office responded immediately and extended the required help, the FDO said. The facility currently has 30 beds and three emergency beds, is manned by two doctors and four nurses who work in shifts.
“The main objective of setting up this unit is to break the chain. Most people who reside in the forests are not fully aware of the infection and therefore end up spreading the virus to family members and other locals. To create awareness and encourage people to isolate themselves at this centre, we have also started making announcements in the villages,” said Padmini Reddy, a local representative who has been working with Apollo Hospitals to make arrangements at the isolation centre. Besides beds, all basic necessities, including food and medicines, are also provided at the centre, she added.
Forest staff and local representatives had faced initial setbacks with people not willing to work as support staff for cleaning and other activities. However, officials said that Achampet MLA G Balraj had been instrumental in mobilising staff for the centre.