THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: With the hospitals in the district bursting at the seams due to surge in Covid-19 cases, the district disaster management authority (DDMA) has decided to tighten its grip on private hospitals that are not complying with the directions issued by the district administration to contain the crisis. The DDMA has slapped show-cause notices on six premium healthcare institutions in the district for not complying with order of the district administration to spare 50 per cent of their beds for Covid care.
According to officials, many private healthcare institutions which have the capacity to offer more infrastructure for Covid-19 care are not extending their full support for managing the surge. DDMA deputy collector G K Suresh Kumar told TNIE that the authority has issued notices to six premium private health care institutions in the district including SK Hospital, SUT Pattom, Lords Hospital, AJ Hospital, Meditrina Hospital and Cosmopolitan Hospital for not earmarking 50 percent of their beds for Covid care.
The number of active cases in the district was all set to cross the 30,000 mark on Wednesday as cases continue to multiply. On Wednesday, 3,727 fresh Covid cases were reported in the district. The Thiruvananthapuram Medical College Hospital has stopped taking new admissions because of the unavailability of beds. According to officials, many people with moderate symptoms are forced to continue under home isolation because of the unavailability of beds. As of Tuesday, around 21,400 patients are under home isolation in the district.
“There is a crisis and as per disaster management act, we can take legal action against the offenders. The hospitals that are not ready to comply with our directions would face legal action. We will file FIR and they may get up to 2 year imprisonment in addition to the fine,” said G K Suresh Kumar. He said that four hospitals that got the notice have responded and have given assurance to earmark 50% beds for Covid care. “Those who won’t respond to the notice would face legal action,” he said.
According to district health authorities, private hospitals are not very keen in sparing the earmarked beds under the Karunya Arogya Suraksha Padhathi (KASP). There are around 600 KASP beds in the district. “The private hospitals are not very keen on sparing their beds for KASP beneficiaries. But often they tell us spare beds are not available for KASP beneficiaries,” said an official. As of Tuesday, 238 out of the 600 KASP beds were occupied.
ICU and ventilator occupancy in T’Puram
Total number of ICU beds at government hospitals:
183 (occupied - 173)
Total number of ICU beds at private hospitals:
175 (occupied -134)
Total number of ventilators in government hospitals: 147(occupied - 99)
Total number of ventilators in private hospitals:
38 (occupied -19)
Covid-19 helpline for hearing impaired
T’Puram: The National Institute of Speech and Hearing (NISH) and the State Disaster Management Authority have jointly set up a 24X7 Covid-19 helpline exclusively for the deaf and hard of hearing persons. The facility is primarily meant for answering queries and concerns related to Covid-19 and extending counselling service to stress-related issues. Sign language interpreters will be available to attend the WhatsApp video calls made to the helpline. The helpline will also reply to queries related to monsoon and preparedness for and management of the season. The helpline numbers are: 9446750983, 9496918178, 9249505723.