BENGALURU: Government hospitals that are not treating Covid-19 patients have created separate sections for people with Severe Acute Respiratory Illness (SARI) and Influenza Like Illnesses (ILI) to contain the virus spread. Dr C Nagaraj, Director, Rajiv Gandhi Institute Of Chest Diseases (RGICD), said that the hospital has set aside 100 beds in a block for SARI patients who have tested negative for Covid- 19. “We have a separate general ward for patients with other respiratory issues and a third section to quarantine people who are waiting for test results.
If positive, they will be shifted to Victoria Hospital or other designated hospitals,” he said. The block has separate entry and exit points, and separate doctors, nurses and staff. “All of them have been given PPE kits, gloves, masks, etc. This prevents the entire hospital from becoming contaminated if there is a Covid-positive case. The whole hospital need not be shut as has been the case with private hospitals,” he said. This three-level classification is also being followed by KC General Hospital.
A doctor at the hospital said, “We have a separate ward for SARI and ILI patients who tested negative for Covid-19. For suspected Covid-19 patients whose swab results are yet to come, there is a separate section, and a third section for other patients.” Private hospitals too have followed suit, said Dr Nagendra Swamy, principal coordinator of the Federation of Healthcare Associations of Karnataka (FHAK). “As patients were not segregated till now, many private hospitals were getting locked up when a person tested positive. Now the segregation is being done. The staff too are experts in dealing with such cases.”