GBS patients: Pune civic body reserves 40 beds sans experts

The 40 beds allocated at the Kamala Nehru Hospital (KNH) includes 15 for females, 15 for males and 10 with ventilator support

The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has reserved 40 hospital beds, including 10 with ventilators, for treatment of Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) cases even as the facility lacks regular monitoring by experts.

According to experts, a 10-bed ventilator facility to handle GBS patients will require experts like neuro physicians, intensivists, assistant intensivists, infectious diseases physicians, physicians, critical care consultants, physiotherapists, and trained nurses to handle cases. (REPRESENTATIVE PHOTO)

The 40 beds allocated at the Kamala Nehru Hospital (KNH) includes 15 for females, 15 for males and 10 with ventilator support. The administration has taken 15-bed ICU facility inside KNH campus. The facility had been outsourced to a private firm, a couple of years back, said officials.

According to experts, a 10-bed ventilator facility to handle GBS patients will require experts like neuro physicians, intensivists, assistant intensivists, infectious diseases physicians, physicians, critical care consultants, physiotherapists, and trained nurses to handle cases. An average of two-three staff per bed is required in three shifts. However, the PMC facility has only one on-call neurologist.

Dr Prashant Bothe, medical superintendent, KNH, said, “Four suspected GBS patients have been admitted in the hospital. The on-call neurologist will visit the facility once a day and other experts can be managed as per requirement. The ICU has trained nurses and other healthcare staff.”

During the recent zika outbreak, the civic body had to depend on state health authorities and Sassoon General Hospital for critical patient care. The civic body has been operating without an entomologist to handle such possible outbreaks since last eight years. The lack of preparedness has raised concerns among health experts and citizens.

Sharad Shetty, health activist, said, “PMC should at least appoint a few expert doctors from each facility as it is the largest municipal corporation area-wise in the state. Smaller local bodies like Khadki and Pune cantonment boards have ICU beds.”

Dr Ameet Dravid, an infectious diseases expert, said, “PMC should tie up with private hospitals to provide treatment to GBS cases at affordable cost.”

Dr Nina Borade, health chief, PMC, said, “We have shortlisted three neurologists and a couple of them will be appointed tomorrow. We are also working on appointing expert doctors to handle GBS cases. The ICU facility has been operational with required staff and expertise.”