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As Covid cases decline, over 700 hospital beds vacant in Lucknow, other patients need care
Officials of prominent medical institutes in Lucknow say they are waiting for instructions to denotify Covid wards and use them for general illnesses
Over 700 hospital beds in Lucknow health facilities that were reserved for Covid patients during the second wave are now lying vacant, even as Covid cases have fallen to their lowest level with just four or five patients recuperating in hospitals in the state capital. On the other hand, the need for beds for admitting patients afflicted with other illnesses, especially dengue, is gradually going up.
Sample this. There are 320 beds at King George’s Medical University’s department of physical medicine and rehabilitation (DPMR) and 200 hospital beds are kept for Covid patients at Dr Ram Manohar Lohia Institute of Medical Sciences. Also, Sanjay Gandhi Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences (SGPGIMS) has 260 beds which are kept unused. No patient is admitted at these wards. Officials of these institutes say they are waiting for instructions to de-notify these wards as Covid wards and use them for other general illnesses. Experts say these hospital beds should now be used for other patients.
Besides, a 40-bed paediatric unit made in anticipation of the Covid third wave at Balrampur Hospital, too, is kept in reserve. “The intimation about a third wave is still coming. Hence, these beds have been made ready for admission of children with all equipment and life support systems,” said Dr Alok Kumar Srivastava, director of Balrampur Hospital.
Not just in Lucknow but in other places also, beds are kept in reserve in anticipation of a third wave. At the Rajarshi Dashrath Autonomous State Medical College in Ayodhya, 210 beds were reserved for Covid patients on three floors in a building and 70 beds are still reserved for Covid patients.
“The ward made at the women and child wing of the institute has 140 ICU/HDU beds and, in all, there are 200 beds that were reserved for Covid patients for the past several months. We treated patients during the first and second wave,” said Dr Srikesh Singh, spokesperson for the Ram Manohar Lohia Institute of Medical Sciences in Lucknow.
He said, “The beds are still reserved for Covid patients and we are waiting for instructions to use them for other illnesses.”
He said once instructions from the state government come, the beds will be used for other patients. Senior officials at SGPGIMS say they are now planning to start admission of other patients on 170 out of the total 260 beds reserved for Covid patients at Rajdhani Covid Hospital that was made at the apex trauma centre of the institute, while a decision on the remaining beds will be taken later.Experts feel that with a rise in the number of dengue cases, there is a need is to arrange hospital beds for those suffering with high fever as dengue may cause more trouble in the coming four weeks.“If there are no Covid patients in need of hospital care, the beds should be used for dengue patients or patients suffering with other illnesses,” said Dr PK Gupta, former president of Indian Medical Association, Lucknow.As per statistics, Lucknow had over 7000 beds for Covid patients during the second wave, including 3000 in private hospitals. All private hospitals are now using their Covid beds for non-Covid facilities. Dr Anoop Agrawal, president of the Lucknow Nursing Home Association (LNHA), said, “It is advisible to keep some beds for Covid even if there are no cases since Covid cases rise rapidly. But the need can be evaluated and the remaining beds should be opened fo other health need.”
Dr Agrawal said another plan can be kept ready on how to add Covid beds if cases start rising rapidly.
On the other hand, the Lok Bandhu hospital that had 150 beds for Covid patients reserved during the second wave is now admitting dengue patients in the Covid ward after disinfection and other formalities. “We are getting dengue and high fever patients; hence we are admitting them. We cannot refuse admission. We are admitting them in the ward that was earlier for Covid patients,” said Dr Ajai Shankar Tripathi of the Lok Bandhu Hospital. At the medical college in Ayodhya, two-thirds of the 210 reserved beds are being used for general patients.“We have started using Covid wards for other patients as there are no Covid patients now. Soon, the remaining 70 beds will also be used for general patients,” said Prof Vijay Kumar, principal of the college.
Doctors have advised people that irrespective of whatever information is available on the species of mosquitoes causing dengue, there is only one solution to it and that is to avoid mosquito bites.
“Mosquitoes thrive in areas close to human population and a spoonful of water is enough for mosquito breeding.
The dengue mosquito lays its eggs in water-filled containers inside the house and the surrounding areas of dwellings including unused bottles, containers, discarded waste, tyres or any item which can hold water,” said Dr Abhishek Shukla, secretary general, Association of International Doctors.
Doctors said that information such as mosquito bite during the morning causing dengue or that they bite up to a certain height, say knee level, should not be considered and people should keep themselves protected all the time.
“There is only one thing to follow and that is to avoid mosquito bite. After biting a dengue infected person, mosquito will transmit the disease to several others by biting more people. Hence, it is necessary that one uses all preventive measures such as mosquito nets,” said Dr PK Gupta.
The hospital beds reserved for Covid patients in Lucknow include 320 at KGMU, 200 at RMLIMS and 260 at SGPGIMS. A total 850 dengue cases have been reported in Lucknow this year and over a dozen dengue patients are currently admitted in hospitals.
