No active COVID-19 case in Telangana, we are in a comfortable zone: Director of Public Health

Telangana’s Director of Public Health and Family Welfare, Dr. B. Ravinder Naik in an interview with The Hindu spoke about how the infection is panning out now, preparedness to attend the cases.
| Photo Credit: BY ARRANGEMENT

With reports of rising COVID-19 cases in parts of Asia, concerns have emerged over whether India, and Telangana in particular should be worried. In an interview with The Hindu, Telangana’s Director of Public Health and Family Welfare, Dr. B. Ravinder Naik, explains why there is no immediate cause for alarm and details the State’s ongoing surveillance and preparedness measures.

At present, there is no cause for alarm. According to the national COVID portal, around 257 cases are active in India, but these are scattered and mostly limited to a few States. Importantly, as of now, there are no active COVID-19 cases reported from Telangana on the portal. So, we are in a comfortable zone.

We have a pre-planned seasonal health preparedness strategy in place. Right now, we are focused on managing heat-related illnesses in summer. When the rainy season begins, our attention shifts to diseases like Dengue, Malaria, H1N1, respiratory infections, Acute Gastroenteritis, and COVID-19 as well. Over the years, especially through 2020, 2021, and 2022, we have learned a lot from our COVID-19 response. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has already declared that COVID-19 is no longer a global public health emergency. It has transitioned to an endemic stage, meaning it exists in the environment and may cause mild, flu-like symptoms such as cold, cough, fever, throat pain, and body aches.

In most cases, symptoms are mild or even asymptomatic. Simple home care like steam inhalation, increased fluid intake, and rest usually help recovery within a week. However, high-risk groups, such as the elderly, pregnant women, children, and those with compromised immunity (like Cancer or HIV patients) should be more cautious and seek medical advice if needed.

Yes, we have a dedicated special officer stationed at the airport, along with her team, to monitor incoming passengers from other countries. They are conducting regular surveillance and screening as part of our ongoing public health preparedness. This helps us stay vigilant and quickly identify any potential cases at the point of entry.

Absolutely. Based on the experience of the last few years, Telangana has strengthened its entire healthcare infrastructure. From sub-centres to district hospitals, we have ensured availability of beds, oxygen supply, testing and tracing systems, referral services, and follow isolation protocols. Everything, from human resources to logistics, is in place to tackle any eventuality.

Right now, there is no fresh advisory from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare or the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR). Whenever the Government of India receives new updates from WHO, they issue advisories accordingly. Once we get those guidelines, we act on them immediately. Meanwhile, seasonal disease advisories, which also include COVID-19, were already issued annually. So, we have year-round activity and surveillance in place. There is absolutely no need for public to panic.

When the pandemic began, we started with the infrastructure we had at that time. But over the years, we scaled up rapidly. We procured more beds, oxygen cylinders, staff, testing kits, everything needed to respond to COVID-19. From patient examination to testing, contact tracing, isolation, and treatment, we built a system that is now fully operational. We also conduct mock drills regularly to ensure readiness. From time to time, we assess, re-train staff, and update equipment or protocols wherever necessary. Our preparedness now is comprehensive. Should any situation arise again, we are ready to respond swiftly and effectively.