Kapurthala without a single bed to treat critical covid-19 patients
A critical patient needs attention on ventilators equipped with two high-flow nasal oxygen therapy machines, multi-para monitors, pulse oximeters, infusion pumps and suction machines.
Kapurthala Even as the last one-and-a-half-month has recorded a spike in the number of covid-19 patients in the district from 98 to 781 and in deaths, due to the disease, from five to 30, the government hospital here does not have the required infrastructure to treat critical patients. Consequently, residents have been left with no other option, but to rush to neighbouring Amritsar and Jalandhar districts for treatment.
The district health department has 100 beds in the isolation ward of the civil hospital and 100 in the PTU for level-1 and level-2 patients only, and the district does not have any level-3 bed to treat critical patients.
Level 1 is for patients requiring advanced respiratory support alone or monitoring and support for two or more organ systems; Level 2 for patients requiring more detailed observation or intervention including support for a single failing organ system or post-operative care and those ‘stepping down’ from higher levels of care and Level 3 for critical and in need of ICU and ventilator, including pregnant and aged patients.
As on date, only 88 patients are being treated at government hospital in the district, 152 are in home isolation, but many prefer to take treatment from private hospitals in Jalandhar. The district has reported 110 positive cases over the seven days. Over the same period, seven deaths have been reported, of which six were being treated at Jalandhar private hospitals.
Most of 30 patients who have died, to date, were over 50, and had co-morbidities. A senior doctor said many died due to not getting timely treatment, as a critical patient needs attention on ventilators equipped with two high-flow nasal oxygen therapy machines, multi-para monitors, pulse oximeters, infusion pumps and suction machines. “On August 19, a 54-year-old man died at the isolation ward of the hospital on August 19,” the doctor added.
District nodal officer Dr Sandeep Dhawan admitted that the district does not have any level-3 bed. “We have tied-up with Government Medical College and Hospital, Amritsar, and critical patients are sent there,” he added. Civil surgeon Jasmeet Kaur Bawa could not be reached for comments, despite repeated attempts.
