Doctors in the Emergency and Trauma Care Centre on Victoria Hospital campus are going out of their way to cater to every need of the 28 COVID-19 patients in the isolation ward. From tetra pack drinks, nail cutters and toiletries to kettles and pedestal fans, doctors are struggling to procure things during the lockdown period when all shops are shut.
“While AC is not allowed in COVID-19 wards, ceiling fans are being used. But some patients are asking for pedestal fans and with no shops open, we are finding it hard to get them,” Balaji S. Pai, Special Officer of the centre, told The Hindu on Wednesday.
Also, as most patients want hot water to sip all through the day, doctors have now arranged for plug-in kettles in the isolation ward. Earlier, nurses were using induction stoves to boil water. But that meant use of more Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) kits and providing kettles was the solution. “As no stores are open, our nodal officer Asima Banu managed to source the kettles from the houses of friends and relatives,” he said.
While food for the patients was initially cooked in the in-house kitchen of the hospital, now the Taj Group has pitched in and is providing it to all patients and staff of the hospital. Immune boosting food such as ragi ganji, eggs, fruits, dates, and herbal beverages are also given to the patients as snacks.
First patient
Recalling that their first patient was a Netherlands citizen in the COVID-19 ward, Dr. Pai said they have over time developed a bond with most of them. “Most of the patients here are asymptomatic, two are in the ICU requiring high flow of oxygen. But it is the symptomatic patients who make the most demands. Initially, they were non-cooperative, but they gradually understood our problems and we too became empathetic towards their plight. Now, we understand what they are going through,” he said.
Dr. Asima Banu said: “As some people speak in languages other than Kannada, Hindi and English, we find it hard to understand their needs. But, we are working to ensure that the patients are satisfied.”
550 beds available
Although Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa a fortnight ago announced that Victoria Hospital would be converted into a 1,200-bed dedicated COVID-19 hospital, not more than 550 beds have been made available here as of now.
Victoria Hospital, which is a referral tertiary public healthcare facility, houses the Emergency and Trauma Care Centre, PMSSY Super-speciality Hospital, Institute of Nephro Urology, Minto Ophthalmic Hospital, and Vani Vilas Hospital. The 50-bed Mahabodhi Burns Ward, which is the only such facility in the State, is also located on this campus.
While the government intends to utilise all the beds (1,200) in these facilities for COVID patients, Health Commissioner Pankaj Kumar Pandey said the functioning of Vani Vilas, Nephro Urology and Burns ward could not be disturbed as there are no such speciality alternatives for the poor in the government sector.
Excluding these facilities, after rearranging the beds with adequate space in between two beds, 550 beds are now available in Victoria, PMSSY and Trauma Care Centre.
All in-patients have been discharged after their recovery and no more admissions are being done. The out-patient department has also been suspended as of now. “More beds will be added to the isolation wards in a phased manner. We now have 17 dedicated hospitals with 4,030 beds for COVID across the State. This is apart from 250 ICU beds,” he added.
