Appreciating the services of the staff of the Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Medical Sciences, Prasanthigram, in dealing with the Covid-19 pandemic, the Managing Trustee of the Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust, Sri R J Rathnakar, along with the All India President of the Sri Sathya Sai Seva Organisations, Sri Nimish Pandya, and Director of SSSIHMS, Prasanthigram, Dr. Gurumurthy, handed over souvenirs to the Covid warriors blessed by Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba.on 23rd Nov 2020, Bhagawan’s 95th Birthday.  

Around 420 hospital staff were involved in providing care at the covid-19 treatment centre who included 53 doctors, 142 nurses and 225 other paramedical and support staff. 

Speaking on the occasion, Sri Rathnakar expressed his happiness at the unmatched service being provided by the hospital’s covid warriors and added that many local people who had met him since the inauguration of the covid-19 treatment centre had expressed their deep gratitude to the staff involved in the covid care. Sri Rathnakar also mentioned how the Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust had helped in fighting the pandemic by contributing resources to the Central and State governments.

Background

As covid infections started appearing in the last week of April 2020 in Andhra Pradesh, the Anantapur District authorities wanted the Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Medical Sciences, Prasanthigram to help them by setting up a covid isolation centre and help Anantapur district run 14 other Covid isolation centres. Hence with the Grace of Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba, the Trustees of the Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust approved about Rs. 2 crore worth material like hand wash, gloves, personal protective equipment, and other requirements for the government covid quarantine centres. 

By August 2020, the number of covid cases started increasing. Keeping in view the District Administration requested the SSSCT to start a covid treatment centre therefore, a covid treatment centre was established on 20th August 2020 at SSSIHMS, Prasanthigram. 

The treatment facility was inaugurated by the Managing Trustee of the Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust, Sri. R.J Rathnakar in the presence of District Special Officer Mr. Chaitanya, in-charge Director of SSSIHMS, Prasanthigram, Dr. Neelam Desai, Medical Superintendent of Sri Sathya Sai General Hospital,  Prasanthi Nilayam, Dr. Narasimhan, and other senior staff members of both the hospitals.

Following the philosophy of Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba, treatment is being provided completely free of charge to all the patients at the centre. The doctors, nurses, and paramedical staff of SSSIHMS, Prasanthigram and Sri Sathya Sai General Hospital, Prasanthi Nilayam, are involved in the treatment of the covid positive patients at the centre.

The treatment centre is equipped with high-end patient care amenities and can accommodate up to 130 patients at a time. The facility also has an Intensive Care Unit (ICU) for patients who would require advanced care. A separate Gas Manifold has been constructed, and pipelines laid to provide continuous oxygen supply directly to all the 130 beds. The centre also has an uninterrupted power supply with a generator backup.