COIMBATORE: Throwing caution to the wind, a section of attenders (family members) of positive patients are reportedly entering the Covid-treatment ward in Coimbatore Medical College Hospital (CMCH).
The attenders enter the premises to provide food to the critically-ill patients, said a hospital source, adding that such attenders are not given PPE kits.
CMCH Dean (in-charge) P Kalidas refuted the allegations and said attenders are not allowed to enter the Covid ward.
“But attenders are allowed to help patients placed in Severe Acute Respiratory Infection (SARI) ward. "
However, on condition of anonymity, a health department official said, “Not all attenders are allowed into the Covid ward, but only a few who could help critically-ill patients with regular chores.”The hospital source claimed that the attenders are allowed to nurse patients due to insufficient health staff in the hospital.
According to the source, a 60-year-old woman from Vadavalli recently contracted the infection as she was frequenting the ward to help her husband have food.
When TNIE visited the hospital on Monday, a few attenders were seen entering the Covid-treatment area without any restrictions.
Sources said that some attenders, coming from adjoining districts, even stay on the hospital premises during the night due to lack of an alternative.
An attender of a patient said, “The hospital staff allow me to go into the Covid ward to feed food to my husband who is in the ICU. I just wear a facemask but not a PPE kit.” Some attenders also complained about poor hygiene in the ward.
“The ward, as well as the toilets, are not clean. If I had money, I would have admitted my mother to a private hospital,” said a woman from Arisipalayam.
However, Dean Kalidas said that there are enough sanitary workers to keep the place tidy.