In Malwa, four district govt hospitals without ventilator
SANGRUR: With the coronavirus disease spreading rapidly, four district government hospitals in Sangrur, Barnala, Mansa and Bathinda are functioning without a single ventilator between them. There is also shortage of trained staff to man isolation wards.
The absence of ventilators could prove critical, as COVID-19 causes respiratory failure in which patients require a ventilator. In the face of this potentially-crippling infrastructure gap, government hospital authorities claimed to have coordinated with private hospitals and medical colleges for ventilators.
“Every district level hospital should have ventilators. Due to no ventilators in Sangur civil hospital, we have coordinated with private hospitals to handle any critical situation,” said Dr Raj Kumar, Sangrur civil surgeon.
Barnala civil surgeon Dr GB Singh said, “We have made all arrangements to handle Covid-19. Patients will be shifted to private hospitals or nearby medical colleges in case of any requirement of ventilator services. We have written to higher authorities, seeking a ventilator.”
Patiala civil surgeon Dr Harish Malhotra claimed they had sufficient number of ventilators at Mata Kaushalya Hospital and Government Medical College, Patiala.
“Government hospitals are facing acute shortage of ventilators and trained staff across the state,” claimed Swaranjit Singh, state leader, Paramedical and Health Employees Front Punjab.
Dr Gagandeep Singh Grover, programme officer, Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme, Punjab, could not be contacted despite repeated phone calls.
MP REVIEWS HOSPITAL PREPAREDNESS
JALANDHAR: Member of Parliament Santokh Singh Chaudhary on Sunday visited the civil hospital to review its preparedness to deal with the outbreak. The MP interacted with the doctors and staff. He was accompanied by MLA Rajinder Beri, medical superintendent Mandeep Kaur and other health officials. Chaudhary said around 20 suspects have been screened at the hospital so far; 13 patients had been sent for testing.