Even as healthcare services in private hospitals remained paralysed here for the second day on Friday, the number of admissions to the State-run K.R. Hospital in Mysuru exceeded its bed strength, forcing the staff to provide treatment to patients on the hospital corridors.
As the rush of patients continued on Friday, the 850-bed hospital ran short of beds with all of them occupied by patients with the private hospitals and nursing homes shutting down their premises protesting against the amendments to the KPME Bill. “We are not refusing any admissions though all the 850 beds have been occupied by patients. Instead, we have made alternative arrangements of providing beds on the floor. Even the special wards have been converted into general wards to accommodate more patents. As many as 1,000 people were now availing treatment as in-patients,” Hospital Medical Superintendent Chandrashekar told The Hindu.
On Friday, 101 patients were given admission and over 1,300 patients were treated as out-patients, he said, adding that over a dozen surgeries have been performed. Compared to Thursday, the number of out-patients availing treatment was less on Friday. “In two days, we have treated 3,500 out-patients,” he added. Usually, the hospital attends to about 800-1,000 out-patients. But the number in the last two days increased by 250-300 perhaps owing to the strike. None of the doctors availed leave. Doctors, nursing staff, and paramedical staff have been working round-the-clock. The authorities said there was sufficient stock of drugs and doctors who had gone on leave much before the strike had returned to work. Meanwhile, the branch of Jayadeva Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences and Research, which functions on K.R. Hospital premises, saw a 10% rise in the number of patients since Thursday.
Branch head Dr. Sadananda told The Hindu the branch had taken all measures to accept the extra load and all emergency cases are being treated on priority in addition to out-patients.
