E-Paper
Govt hospitals run out of ICU beds for Covid patients in Chandigarh
Hit by the second wave, the authorities have been able to earmark only 127 ICU beds for Covid-19, and many of them are occupied by patients from neighbouring states
The day when Chandigarh registered a record number of deaths due to the virus, not a single bed with ventilator was available for Covid-19 patients at intensive care units of the four government hospitals in the city.
Hit by the second wave, the authorities have been able to earmark only 127 ICU beds for Covid-19, and many of them are occupied by patients from neighbouring states.
According to official data available, all ICU beds had been occupied at Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research; Government Medical College and Hospital, Sector 32; Government Multi Specialty Hospital, Sector 16; and Dedicated Covid Hospital in Sector 48 (see box). Meanwhile, at the seven private hospitals, only 10 beds (including ICU and oxygen) were available.
Suraj Maurya, a relative of a 50-year-old Covid-19 patient who is admitted at GMSH, said doctors told the family in the morning that the patient needs ventilator support, but a bed could not be arranged till late in the evening.
“We are trying everywhere, but are receiving the same answer that no bed is available,” said Maurya.
Dr GD Puri, head of the Covid-19 management panel at PGIMER, where most of the patients are admitted, said they are trying to ramp up the infrastructure.
“We are doing whatever is possible, but too many patients are admitted in the emergency. We are trying to adjust them in dedicated Covid-19 hospitals.We are also adding four more ICU beds on Wednesday night and four will be added in addition to 24 high-dependency unit beds on Thursday. All concerned are working round the clock to make them functional,” he said.
“This is an unprecedented situation for us. We are pushing for more ventilators. Around 30 are expected to arrive shortly,” said Dr Jagat Ram, director, PGIMER.
UT adviser Manoj Parida said all department heads have been asked to see whether non-critical patients are occupying ICU beds. “At the same time, we are trying to increase the bed capacity in our Covid-19 facilities,” he said.
Situation as grave in Mohali, Panchkula
The situation is as alarming in the neighbouring Mohali and Panchkula districts. In Panchkula, all 19 ICU beds with ventilators were occupied on Wednesday evening, while only three of 79 ICU beds with oxygen/BiPAP machine were vacant. Meanwhile, the occupancy of 335 oxygen beds stood at 88%.
Of 336 ICU beds at various government and private facilities in Mohali, only two were vacant on Wednesday evening. When it came to oxygen beds, only 19 of 685 were available.
Deputy commissioner Girish Dayalan said the beds are occupied due to rush from other parts of the region. “We have asked private hospitals not to refuse hospitalisation to critical patients, and provide them with lower-level beds till ICU beds get available,” he said.
