`There are trends in the pandemic and it is important to capture them,` said Rajendra Bharud, district chief of Nandurbar in the western Indian state of Maharashtra, emphasizing that he realized early on the need to plan.
`We saw cases peak in India after the epidemic peaked in Western countries. We saw these countries suffer second and third waves. So we recognize the situation
Nandurbar district leader Rajendra Bharud.
Maharashtra, one of India’s largest states, has long been a Covid-19 hotspot.
But in April, when infections increased rapidly, Maharashtra fell into an alarming situation.
Bharud, who studied medicine, said that his knowledge and background were very helpful.
Still, Bharud’s government did not let down its guard.
Therefore, they were ready to respond when cases began to increase from late March.
The old woman breathed oxygen while waiting to be hospitalized in Ahmedabad, India on May 5.
Nandurbar is one of the most remote districts in western India, located amid mountainous forests, bordering the states of Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat, about 440 km from Mumbai.
In the early stages of the second wave of infection, some patients fled to Gujarat state when they had difficulty finding hospital beds.
Therefore, patients with mild symptoms are treated quickly and only those with severe cases go to the hospital.
They also added oxygen beds and intensive care beds.
The district also increased oxygen supply.
`We realized we wouldn’t have enough oxygen if there was a second wave,` Bharud said.
Therefore, the district installed three plants in September 2020, February and March this year at two large public hospitals.
They also bought 30 oxygen generators (which concentrate room air into pure oxygen, helping patients with difficulty breathing breathe easier), for medical care centers in remote villages to reduce the burden.
An oxygen plant in Nandurbar district.
Neelima Walvi, an `oxygen nurse` at Nandurbar’s largest public hospital, said her sole duty is to monitor the amount of oxygen given to Covid-19 patients to ensure there is no waste or leakage.
At hospitals or Covid-19 centers, there is an `oxygen nurse` monitoring every 50 beds.
Since the beginning of the pandemic, the district has recorded 38,000 infections and about 700 deaths.
Although some successes have been achieved, challenges remain.
`A lot of the people we treat come from far away. After being discharged from the hospital, they can’t come back for a check-up for several weeks or even months. So, taking care of those who suffer post-Covid-19 sequelae
He also worries that people in rural areas are more hesitant to get vaccinated than urban people, especially tribal people.
`We need to improve our facilities further to ensure that we are ready to face the third wave,` he added.
Phuong Vu (According to BBC)