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Coronavirus in Chandigarh: PGIMER awaits 10,000 PPE
Institute struggles to get safety gear as admn plans shifting Covid positive patients from other hospitals
Even as the UT administration has decided to use the extension block of Nehru Hospital of Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) as a dedicated facility for treating coronavirus disease (Covid-19) patients, the institute has been struggling to procure good quality personal protection equipment (PPE) amid the country-wide shortage.
PPE refers to protective clothing, helmets, gloves, face shields, goggles, face masks and/or respirators or other equipment designed to protect the wearer from injury or the spread of infection or illness.
The institute has placed the order for more than 10,000 PPEs in order to deal with the increase in cases. The UT administration on Wednesday had decided that those who test positive will be shifted from the Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), Sector 32, and Government Multi Specialty Hospital, Sector 16, to the PGIMER.
Senior UT officials have said that the decision was taken keeping in view the shortage of PPEs and also for judicious use of other equipment.
PGIMER director Dr Jagat Ram said that they have placed orders for the good quality PPEs, however due to country wide shortage they have not been able to procure them in large quantity. “Procuring good quality PPEs which are used in the clinical settings, and act as a barrier between infectious materials and skin, mouth, nose, or eyes, is a challenge. We have roped in many suppliers which are approved by the government of India, but so far they haven’t been able to deliver. We have enough budget to buy the equipment but the problem is that there is a country-wide shortage,” he said.
FACILITIES AT INSTITUTE
The institute has created a facility of 60 beds in the Nehru Hospital extension block where Covid positive patients from all city hospitals will be shifted and kept under observation.
“The third floor of the hospital in which 60 beds have been kept for Covid-19 patients in the initial phase, whereas on the fourth floor, 15 ventilators will be there in the intensive care area. Similarly in the second phase, if the patient number increases, other wards on the second and fourth floors will be opened,” Dr Ashok Kumar, official spokesperson said.
DOCTORS WARY OF SHIFTING PATIENTS
Meanwhile, Association of Resident Doctors, PGIMER, has said that the transferring of all the stable Covid positive patients at this stage poses the risk of bringing them out of effective isolation with great risk of infection to all those involved in transport, their families and neighbours. To carry out this exercise on a daily basis with the diagnosis of fresh cases increases this risk manifold, they said.
Association president Uttam Thakur said, “Once the limited number of beds in the Nehru Extension block are occupied by stable, non-oxygen requiring patients on account of mass transfers, there will be a paucity of beds and manpower for the management of the sick COVID positive patients.”
“Feasibility of vacant and almost ready hospitals of UT, like the one in Sector 48, to convert it into a Covid hospital should be considered. The entire medical fraternity with nursing staff can be included for rotational postings,” said Thakur.
