Baramulla needs full-fledged COVID-19 hospital: Experts
Suhail Bhat
Srinagar, Aug 24: For the hassle-free treatment of the COVID-19 patients, the medical experts of the district Baramulla suggested that the associated hospital Government Medical College Baramulla should be designated as a full-fledged COVID hospital.
The medical experts believed that the hospital posses necessary infrastructure which is required for the treatment of the infection and can cater to the entire north Kashmir. They said that it would not only decrease the referral rate but also reduce the burden on the city hospitals that are already grappling with the huge patient inflow.
The doctors said that the district hospital Sopore which has been designated as the COVID 19 hospital lacks the required infrastructure and manpower. “It can only occupy 100-patients in isolation, and oxygen facilities are also limited. Above all, the hospital is understaffed and face difficulties in providing proper care to the patients,” a doctor said.
On the other hand, doctors said, the associated hospital Government Medical College Baramulla is a 400-bedded fitted with all the latest machinery. “We have enough ventilators and oxygen points in the hospital. Almost all the beds have oxygen points. We have got all the departments in the laboratory which are well equipped and staffed. This hospital has all the facilities which are available in our city hospitals,” another doctor said, adding that the hospital has treated nearly 70 COVID-19 positive cases that had acute pneumonia.
The locals said that the COVID-19 positive patients should get all the facilities under a single roof. “We have a wellness center for the COVID-19 patients in Baramulla but testing facilities are not available there. If a patient needs to undergo tests like X-ray and CBC, he has to travel around three kilometers to reach the Hospital for the purpose. A single test which requires 5-minutes takes around 3-4 hours,” Adbul Rasheed, a local said.
The other problem the hospital is facing is that same doctors have to see the non-COVID patients which increases the chances of spreading the infection. “The doctors who see the COVID-19 positive cases have to see the patients in the OPD as well which is dangerous given nature of the infection. Although some doctors undergo necessary isolation before resuming duties others do not get time. If the hospital is designated as COVID-19 hospital, the protocols will be different,” a doctor in the hospital said, adding that there is drop-in the OPD numbers as the majority of the patients prefer online consultations.
Medical Superintend GMC Baramulla, Syed Masood, said the move would severely hit the non-COVID care in the district. “Where will the dialysis patients go. We receive a number of gynae referrals and cases of heart attacks. Who will treat them?” he said.
Referring to the makeshift COVID wellness center at Indoor Stadium Baramulla, he said that the administration has already placed best facilities for COVID patients in the district. “Whatever is required for COVID-19 patients are available in the existing facility. We have high-end devices fitted with high flow oxygen and we are also planning to install an oxygen plant. We have the best facilities in the whole region and it would be unwise to shut the best facility,” he said.
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