VIJAYAWADA: Oxygen bed shortage is quite pronounced at the new GGH in Vijayawada, where the number of Covid- 19 patients waiting to get ICU and oxygen beds is increasing day by day. Several are seen waiting on the pavements near the hospital or in auto-rickshaws.
G Veerbhadram, the brother of P Leela Rani (43), an infectee, faced a tough task to get her admitted into the State Covid-19 Hospital recently. “When my sister tested positive to Covid-19 and suffered breathing problems, I brought her from Mylavaram to the hospital for treatment. But on reaching here, it was a Herculean task to get admission in the hospital as there were no oxygen beds,” he said.
With no option left, he purchased an oxygen cylinder and got her treated in the causalty ward. On Tuesday evening, she was shifted to the ICU ward, where she was on oxygen support and her health condition is now stable. “Steps should be taken by the government to increase the number of oxygen beds in the hospital,” he observed.
There are several people such as Veerabhadram, who are facing trouble in getting oxygen beds. Some Covid-19 patients are treated at reception, casualty wards with oxygen support, while some buy cylinders on their own Some after not getting a bed, go to other hospitals, and after much difficulty, get an oxygen bed.
M Gangadhar (38), a Covid-19 patient from Kankipadu was treated on the hospital pavement with oxygen support. “My elder brother contracted the virus and was having difficulty breathing. We strived to get a bed with oxygen support at the New GGH, but we didn’t get a bed there. We later shifted him to Pinnamaneni Siddhartha Institute of Medical Sciences, Chinna Avutapalli after getting treatment with oxygen support for a couple of hours at the New GGH,” Gangadhar’s brother said.
Hospital Superintendent K Siva Shankar Rao said that the total capacity of the hospital is 847 beds. Majority of the infected in Vijayawada and from other parts of Krishna and West Godavari districts requiring oxygen support are admitted in the hospital. As on Wednesday, 800 persons are undergoing treatment with oxygen support and 40 others on ventilators at the hospital, he added.
“We are examining the health condition of Covid-19 patients, and depending on the severity of the symptoms and availability of beds, oxygen beds in ICU or non-ICU wards are being allotted. In case the Covid-19 symptoms are mild, we advise the patients to go to Covid-19 Care Centre or remain under home isolation since there is no need for hospitalisation for such cases,” he said.
On average five to 10 litres of oxygen is required per person per day, depending on his or her health condition. Currently, the hospital is admitting at least 100 new corona positive cases per day and of them 60 to 70 persons get oxygen beds. However, the remaining Covid-19 patients are admitted only if a patient undergoing treatment at the hospital dies or recovers from the virus.
Recently, the district administration has appointed a committee to admit infectees into the hospital after examining their health. Besides, a 100-bed Covid-19 Care Centre with oxygen support will come into operation at Venue Convention Centre as an extension to ease out the pressure on the New GGH, he informed. With regard to a mechanism in place to handle the oxygen shortage in the hospital, the superintendent maintained that the hospital is equipped with two tankers of 30 MT capacity. There are about 300 doctors, including 50 professors and 100 house surgeons.
Besides that 200 male nursing orderlies and female nursing orderlies. All are working in three shifts per day. These doctors and paramedics are not only under tremendous pressure, but also perform their duty daily risking their lives. According to State Covid-19 Hospital authorities, the majority of the doctors and nurses treating the infectees also tested positive for the virus. At present, 26 various department staff are deployed for Covid-19 duties. Several of them have contracted the virus as they spend most of their duty hours among the infectees treating them.
Dr K Venkata Ram, MS General Surgeon is part of the Corona Clinical Management at the State Covid- 19 Hospital. The 28-year-old, who recently recovered from Covid-19, told TNIE that he treats at least 60 patients per day in the isolation ward. “It depends on the condition of the patients. The situation has worsened during the second wave as compared to the first wave.
I am not worried that my interaction with the patients can put me or my family at risk,” he said, adding that he has already taken precautions to stay away from his family. Dr K Shekhar Prasad (42) said, “Since the beginning of Covid-19, I have stopped sharing the common area with my family as a precautionary measure to prevent them from getting infected.” He said the health condition of most of the patients worsened due to fear factor and “we are counselling them. Crucial for recovery is to believe in oneself that we will recover,” he said. Dr Ram said in the second wave, several of us treating patients on ICU beds with oxygen support are not getting enough time to stay under isolation.”