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Pune hospitals, state machinery ready and capable to handle Covid-19: health officials
Isolation wards in government hospitals are fully prepared and have been increased as per demand, say officials
The state health department is fully prepared to handle the Covid-19 (coronavirus) situation, should any case be confirmed in Maharashtra and Pune, state health officials said on Tuesday.
Post the detection of three positive cases in the country - an Italian citizen in Rajasthan, and one in Delhi and Telangana, each - the number of beds reserved for isolation in various government hospitals in the state have been increased.
Dr Pradip Awte, state surveillance officer, said, “The state health machinery is fully equipped to handle the situation. As soon as the government declared it to be a national health emergency we sent out guidelines to the Indian medical association (IMA) and all doctors to ensure the all suspected patients are immediately brought to the nearest government hospital.
“Isolation wards in government hospitals are fully prepared and have been increased as per demand,” he added.
Dr Awte further said that health officials are deployed at airports to make sure that no suspected passengers can leave without a screening.
“Even those who do not show any symptoms, but have travelled to affected countries are being followed up with through telephonic surveillance,” he said.
IMA Maharashtra state president Dr Avinash Bhondwe, said that based on the previous outbreak of swine flu, the state health department is now completely capable of handling any viral outbreak.
He said, “Since the time the World health organisation (WHO) announced the outbreak of the coronavirus and an emergency in China, the state government has geared up to tackle the situation. Across the country, all airports have announcements regarding the Covid-19 screenning and precautions. Even smaller airports have clear announcements.”
He further added that IMA has sent a list of guidelines to all its doctors about screenings and that all suspected patients have to be sent to the nearest government hospital.
“During the outbreak of swineflu, doctors in both, private and government hospitals, were trained to handle the outbreak of any such respiratory disease,” Dr Bhondwe said, adding that the biggest challenge is to dispel rumors about Covid-19 and non-vegetarian food.
Dr Suhdir Patsute, superintendent incharge of Naidu hospital, said, “The entire Naidu hospital, which is primarily meant as an infection control hospital, has been reserved for isolation purposes. We have stopped general OPD and IPD services. The cooperation from suspected patients is also good and we have received applications from about 10 hospitals showing willingness to admit Covid-19 suspected patients if needed.”
Apart from Naidu hospital, the state-run Sassoon General hospital is also on standby in case any suspected patient needs intensive care.
Dr Ajay Tawde, superintendent, Sassoon Hospital, said, “At our isolation ward we have ventilators and intensive care units and we have expert physicians to handle the machinery, which is required in case of an emergency or last-stage treatment.”
