Rope in pvt hospitals to treat COVID-19 patients, DAK to authorities

TNN Bureau. Updated: 4/15/2021 2:47:17 PM Jammu and Kashmir

Srinagar, Apr 15: As COVID-19 cases continue to rise unabated in Jammu and Kashmir, Doctors Association Kashmir (DAK) on Thursday urged authorities to rope in private hospitals to treat Coronavirus patients.

“That would reduce the burden on government run hospitals. “We are back in the eye of the storm, with the second wave of Covid-19 causing surge in cases and hospitalizations too,” DAK President and influenza expert Dr Nisar ul Hassan said on Thursday.

He said the virus has once again become dangerous and is behaving aggressively. “Today we have more patients in hospitals than what we saw during the first wave and we are finding it hard to cope with the rush of patients,” the DAK president said.

Dr Hassan said hospitals are running full and are at the risk of becoming overwhelmed. “Patients are struggling to get a bed in ICU. Even oxygen support beds are occupied and patients have to use cylinders to maintain their oxygen levels. We should include private hospitals in the fight against COVID-19,” he said.

He said there is an urgent need for private hospitals to take part in the management of COVID-19 patients. “That would ease the pressure on public hospitals, and would relieve the strained staff,” Dr Hassan said.

The DAK president said for the past few weeks, cases have started rising and is now starting to reflect in the rising number of hospitalization. “The number is expected to rise further in coming days as there are still massive number of people in the population who are susceptible to the virus,” he said.

He said the hospitals should prepare for dealing with any eventuality, adding public safety will depend on hospital preparedness. “Hospitals should have separate negative pressure isolation wards for corona patients,” he said.

“The negative pressure would prevent contaminated air from escaping the ward. These wards should have dedicated ventilators and HEPA filters that would reduce the risk of transmission of the virus. They should have separate entrance so that infected patients don’t risk other patients and staff in the hospital,” he said.

“In order to ensure safe environment for patients, hospitals should adopt strict infection prevention and control measures and vaccination to staff,” Dr Hassan added.


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