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Shimla hospitals struggle to cope with Covid rush
IGMC packed to capacity as cases from Kullu, Bilaspur and Kinnaur referred to Shimla; authorities say no shortage of oxygen, medicines
Hospitals in Shimla district are struggling to cope with the rising number of Covid-19 patients.
The main Covid-designated hospitals, Indira Gandhi Medical College in Shimla, Dr Rajendra Prasad Government Medical College (RPGMC), Tanda, and Dharamshala Zonal Hospital in Kangra district are packed to capacity or are seeing a heavy footfall these days.
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IGMC senior medical superintendent Janakraj Pakhretia said: “We have 150 beds, and they are all occupied. More beds are being placed to meet the growing demand. Right now, we have adequate stock of oxygen and medicines.”
Deen Dayal Upadhyay Hospital in Shimla that has been designated as a Covid hospital has a total bed capacity of 90 beds of which 55 are occupied at present. Its medical superintendent Rajendra Mokta confirmed adequate stock of medicines.
The rush is more at IGMC because it is a tertiary hospital where Covid cases from districts such as Kullu, Bilaspur and Kinnaur are being referred besides the influx from Shimla district.
In view of the increasing caseload, the IGMC authorities changed the OPD timings two days ago.
Most patients prefer home isolation
Himachal Pradesh has total capacity of 2,302 beds and so far, 35% of the beds are occupied across the state. A total of 802 beds are occupied. A majority of the patients suffering from Covid-19 prefer home isolation.
Takes 48 hours to get test reports
Due to the rush, people in Shimla have to wait for nearly 48 hours to get their Covid test reports. Shimla has only one laboratory at IGMC to check for Covid, while the other nearby facility is the Central Research Institute in Kasauli, which caters to samples collected in Solan and Sirmour districts.
Kangra, Solan and Shimla face the brunt
As on April 21, there were 10,793 active cases in the state. Kangra had the maximum of 2,382 active cases followed by 2,103 in Solan and 1,179 in Shimla.
Kangra deputy commissioner Rakesh Kumar Prajapati said the two Covid treatment facilities, RPGMC, Tanda, and Zonal Hospital, Dharamshala, have a total of 238 Covid beds.
“There are 108 beds at Tanda of which 97 are occupied and 110 of 130 beds at Dharamshala are occupied,” Prajapati said.
He said the district administration has also talked to private hospitals and 75 beds have been put on standby in these institutions.
The Covid care centre with 40 beds has been reopened at Dadh near Dharamshala. “The number of beds at this facility can be increased to 500 within 24 hours, if required,” he said.
“So far, we have adequate supply of oxygen at our major hospitals and the number of ventilators is sufficient,” he said.
12.5 lakh in 45+ age group vaccinated so far
Himachal Pradesh has vaccinated more than 12.5 lakh people in the age group of above 45 years so far. “We don’t have any guidelines for vaccinating the population above 18 years yet,” National Rural Health Mission Dr Nipun Jindal said, adding that the state has adequate stock of oxygen and injections.
