TN scrambles to add oxygen beds

TN scrambles to add oxygen beds

Data On Beds Not In Public Domain

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:20.04.2021

Government medical college hospitals in Chennai on Monday struggled to increase oxygen beds amid a dearth of resources including doctors, postgraduates and nurses. The public too were hassled as information on bed availability in government hospitals wasn’t available in the public domain.

The state Covid webpage showedthatof the116government-enlisted private hospitals for Covid care, 91 updated their status until Monday. Of these, 28 reported an occupancy of 100% or more, while 31 had more than 70% occupancy. On an average, 70% of oxygen beds across all private hospitals were occupied. No such information was available for government hospitals. Director of medical education Dr R Narayanababu said no patient was turned away. “But since many are asking for information about government hospitals, we are working towards putting it up on the portal.”

Information from the covid control room at the Directorate of Medical Education showed that by 3pm, nearly 72% of beds in five government hospitals were occupied. The occupancy was at 36% in health centres and 12% at Covid Care Centres.

Most patients in the four medical college hospitals and Government Covid hospital in Guindy have moderate or serious illness requiring oxygen. At the Guindy hospital, 250 of the 550 beds are oxygen beds. The government plans to add another 150 beds here.

On Monday, staff at the 3,628-bed Rajiv Gandhi Government General Gospital were dragging oxygen pipelines to more than 150 beds. “We had set aside1,618 beds as isolation beds for Covid treatment. Of this, a little more than 850 are oxygen beds, and they are all taken. We are adding oxygen pipelines to more beds,” said dean Dr E Theranirajan.

Converting a bed into oxygen bed is more than just civil work. “We have adequate oxygen capacity to convert almost all beds to oxygen beds. But it’s not just about dragging the gas pipe,” said a senior Stanley Medical College and Hospital (SMCH) professor. “We have to match it with human resources.” Of the 1,200 designated for Covid care at SMCH, 750 are oxygen beds.

“Nearly a third of all our postgraduate students are not working because they have exams. Last year, several doctors, nurses and paramedical staff were posted or deputed to city hospitals. We don’t have them this year,” he said.

Of the 380 nurses at SMCH, 10-15 are posted to manage wards where there are senior or vulnerable patients with moderate/severe illness. Health officials said facilities will be ramped up.

Manmohan & T’gana CM KCR test +ve

Manmohan & T’gana CM KCR test +ve

DurgeshNandan Jha & Koride Mahesh TNN

20.04.2021

Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was admitted to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences in New Delhi on Monday after testing positive for Covid-19. The 88-year-old has taken both doses of Covid vaccine. Meanwhile, a public meeting that Telangana CM K Chandrasekhar Rao held in Halia for the Nagarjuna Sagar assembly bypoll has led to the town becoming a Covid hotspot with nearly 60 people, including KCR, from the one lakh gathering testing positive.

Former PM Manmohan Singh (L) & Telangana CM K Chandrasekhar Rao

‘Manmohan’s condition is stable, showing mild symptoms’

TRS candidate, Nomula Bhagat and family members of politicians who attended the meeting too tested positive.

Senior officials said KCR has mild symptoms at present and is being treated at his farmhouse in Erravelli. The public meeting was held on April 14. Voting for the bypoll was held on April 17 and the result is on May 2.

KCR, who was suffering from mild fever, body ache and other symptoms since Sunday tested positive for Covid-19 in a rapid antigen test. Later, an RTPCR test result too was positive.

Telangana chief secretary Somesh Kumar told TOI that a special team of doctors has been deputed to monitor KCR’s health. The staff and people who moved with him closely have also been asked to get themselves tested and go for home isolation for a few days.

Former PM Singh has mild symptoms of the disease, including fever and has been admitted to the AIIMS Trauma Centre, which is a dedicated Covid facility, hospital sources said, adding that his condition is stable. The decision to hospitalise the former PM was taken considering his age and history of illness. Singh is known to be diabetic and a heart patient. He has undergone two bypass surgeries. In 1990, he underwent a bypass surgery in the UK, followed by an angioplasty in 2004 in Delhi. In 2009, he again underwent bypass surgery at AIIMS to open-up blocked arteries.

Worried migrant workers in a hurry to get back home

Worried migrant workers in a hurry to get back home

Crowds Throng Chennai Central After TN Announces Further Restrictions

Shanmughasundaram.J@timesgroup.com

Chennai:20.04.2021

Hoping to return to their hometown in Rajasthan before things go out of control, Ram Prasad along with eight of his family members reached MGR Central railway station on Monday morning to catch a train. Prasad’s family reached Chennai by bus from Dindigul where he was a daily wage labourer in a plywood-making unit. However, he was worried to see anxious guest workers like him slowly and steadily congregating at the railway station.

Fearful of a repeat of the exodus last year, guest workers are crowding railway stations and making inquiries on trains to their destinations. On Sunday, the Tamil Nadu government had put in place restrictions after Covid-19 cases breached the 10,000 mark for the first time. The restrictions have caused panic among hundreds of guest workers. “We have been adhering to the SOPs that are in place since last summer. We have advised employers to take care of the workforce,” said a senior IAS officer in the department of labour.

LONG WAIT: Migrant workers at MGR Central on Monday

Pondy imposes 10pm-5am night curfew

Puducherry has decided to impose night curfew between 10pm and 5am from April 20 to contain the spread of Covid-19. Hotels have been asked to close by 8pm and allow only parcel service later. The Beach Road will be closed by 5pm.

To avoid harrowing scenes like last yr, many spend days at stns

Chennai: “I want to see my family reach home (native village) before things turn unpleasant,” said Prasad, who was worried about getting train tickets on time and a safe journey amid the Covid-19 surge.

A group of youth from Odisha recalled their experience last summer and said they were “chased like dogs and treated badly” when they tried to escape the lockdown. “We don’t want that to happen this time,” said Vidhuth in not-so-fluent Tamil. They sell carpets for a living in Chennai.

A few yards away, Shivraj and his extended family took refuge beneath a tree. It has literally turned their home for the past three days. “We are trying to book tatkal tickets for 10 family members, barring five of our children. Only four tickets were confirmed. Without a confirmed ticket, no one is let into the station. I don’t know what to do,” said Shivaraj of Bihar’s Bhagalpur district. He along with his brother and father were selling terracotta dolls in and around Tambaram. Though the situation was grim in their state, he said they had “no other choice”.

Gopal, a porter, said they had been seeing an unusual crowd in the past three days. “We can see hundreds of youngsters and women with children sitting with their belongings, packed and waiting restlessly to get tickets to their destination,” said the young porter pointing to the long queue at the tatkal counter, while a Southern Railway official said trains bound to north and northeastern states were going packed.

A small section of guest workers from MSMEs in Coimbatore and garment sectors in Tirupur have begun leaving TN too. The departure began a week ago and over the past two days, there has been a marginal increase in those leaving Coimbatore. However, the vast majority of guest workers in both cities have decided to wait and watch as they had returned only three months ago after almost six months in their hometowns.

As of now, there has been no sign of reverse migration from the central part of TN, particularly Karur, Trichy and Pudukottai districts that have a significant number of guest workers. A similar situation prevailed in Madurai and other southern districts.

(With inputs from V Mayilvaganan, M K Ananth and K Sambath Kumar)

LONGING TO GET AWAY: Migrant workers camp at Chennai Central railway station on Sunday waiting for tickets to get home

Hospitals reel as shortage of trained nurses hits hard

Hospitals reel as shortage of trained nurses hits hard

Many Leave For Better Salaries Elsewhere

Ardhra.Nair@timesgroup.com

Pune:19.04.2021 

Hospitals in the city are facing an acute shortage of nursing staff after many took up offers in their native states and abroad for lucrative pay packages.

Workload in the Covid-19 pandemic has increased and hospitals have upped their bed capacity to accommodate more patients, stretching the nursing staff to the limits.

Many hospitals said earlier one nurse managed 5-6 patients, but now it is 15 patients. Similarly, if the ratio for ICU beds was one nurse per bed, it is now three beds per staff.

Abrarali Dalal, chief operating officer in Sahyadri Hospitals, said their units were full just like the last year’s. “There is a global shortage of nursing staff. Indian nurses are getting lucrative offers, especially from the Gulf countries. Fresh graduates are not available as colleges have not held exams or have delayed the results during the pandemic. There is a shortage of senior nursing staff to cope with the sudden increase in patients. Nurses are now working almost beyond their capacities,” he added.

Noble Hospital said they need over 400 nurses but have  235. Most are from other states and have gone back home or abroad, some switched to the jumbo facilities while 30 went into government health services.

“Some nurses stopped coming after the March salary. We have complained to the police station that 25 nurses have left without any intimation and don’t take our calls. The government is asking us to increase the beds, but where is the manpower? We have told senior doctors and consultants to do ward duty which is not their job profile. Attrition in nurses affects us the most because about 70% of the work when a patient is admitted in the hospital is done by hem,” executive director H K Sale said.

Lokmanya Hospital, Chinchwad has doubled the salaries during the pandemic but it is still hard to retain them.

“If earlier we had one nurse per patient on a ventilator, now we are forced to have one nurse for 2-3 patients on a ventilator. Since there is more probability of healthcare workers contracting the virus, they are leaving for their native places because they feel that even if they test positive, they should be near their loved ones rather than staying in isolation in an unknown place,” COO Shrikrishna Joshi said.

They have increased operational beds for Covid patients to 150, but the nursing staff strength has not gone up. Earlier a nurse would care for six patients, now it is 15.

Arrear pending since ’90? Anna University lets you clear it

Arrear pending since ’90? Anna University lets you clear it

Anna University has announced a special chance for students admitted since 1990 to clear their pending arrear exams.

Published: 18th April 2021 04:18 AM 

By Sushmitha Ramakrishnan

Express News Service

CHENNAI: Anna University has announced a special chance for students admitted since 1990 to clear their pending arrear exams. They will get three chances in August/September 2021, February 2022, and August 2022. The university, in a statement on Friday, advised students to utilise these chances “with utmost care and diligence” since it will be the final opportunity. It said two categories of students will be permitted for these special exams.

“Students of university department of Anna University, Chennai, admitted in the academic year 1990 onwards — both UG and PG under full-time and parttime mode,” is one category. The consideration will also be extended to students of affiliated colleges of Anna University and students admitted to colleges affiliated at the time of admission.

However, the chance will only be provided to students who were admitted since 2002 and those who were pursuing their third semester at least, in 2001. The eligibility criteria includes: “Students of affiliated colleges of Anna University and students admitted in the affiliated colleges at the time of admission i.e. during academic year 2001 (3rd semester onwards) and currently in autonomous ones including distance education offered by Anna University.”

Have an uncleared arrear from 1990? Anna Univ gives a chance

Speaking to Express, M Venkatesan, the controller of examinations of the varsity, said the decision was finalised in the 260th syndicate meeting held on February 16. The varsity had previously given two chances to clear arrears, for students admitted in the university department since 2000. While the first chance was given in November 2019, the second was completed only in April 2021 due to the lockdown and other restrictions.

“Students could not fully avail this because of the lockdown. However, we have extended the consideration all the way back to 1990 for the benefit of students this time,” said a senior official from the varsity. Other details about the special exams will be updated subsequently on Anna University’s web portal, the statement said. A decision on the initiative was taken during the meeting the vice-chancellors held on July 29, 2020 under the chairpersonship of principal secretary, Higher Education Department.

Professors in Tamil Nadu forced to canvass students for college admissions

Professors in Tamil Nadu forced to canvass students for college admissions

Come admissions season, private colleges turn professors into marketing executives to rope in new students every year, letting education take a backseat.

Published: 19th April 2021 03:53 AM 

By Express News Service

COIMBATORE: Come admissions season, private colleges turn professors into marketing executives to rope in new students every year, letting education take a backseat. From sourcing students’ database illegally from government schools to making cold calls to students, the faculty members allege they are being exploited by managements.

M Kaviyarasan, an assistant professor at a private college on the outskirts of the city, alleged that the staff members were forced to collect class 12 student databases, including their contact numbers, by visiting schools daily. “During the visits, headmasters do not treat us with respect and often do not part with the details.” To overcome these hurdles, a few colleges have been bribing headmasters with cash and furniture to get the students’ details, Kaviyarasan added.

“This poses a big challenge to us every year. Although the government clearly says colleges should not involve professors in other work, they continue to do so,” he rued. Besides fieldwork, professors make cold calls as well. A female professor at a college in the city said that she was made to work as a telemarketer to explain course details, fees, facilities, etc. to over 150 students daily. “Meanwhile, every male professor has been assigned a target of ensuring at least five admissions in a field visit.”

Salaries of a few professors also hinge on their ability to secure admissions. Another faculty member at a private arts and science college said that he would receive his pre-Covid salary of `19,000 only if he achieves his target of three admissions.

A Head of Department at a private college said that admissions were on top of the priority list of his management. “Admission comes first, college work is second, and teaching comes last” he claimed.

Speaking to TNIE, Regional Joint Director of Collegiate Education Kalaiselvi said that a circular would be issued to private colleges on Monday directing them to not use professors for canvassing students.

ICUs scarce in Kovai

Coimbatore: Beds in ICUs are fast-filling up in the city, an alarming fact which indicates that patients are delaying seeking medical help. Over 50 per cent of ICU beds (50 to 60 beds) in CMCH were occupied. On the other hand, all 14 beds in the ICU at ESI Hospital were occupied. Dean of CMCH A Nirmala said most of the patients reported low oxygen saturation level, and difficulty in breathing.

மத்திய அரசு அதிகாரிகளுக்கு வீட்டில் இருந்தே வேலை

மத்திய அரசு அதிகாரிகளுக்கு வீட்டில் இருந்தே வேலை

Added : ஏப் 19, 2021 04:04

புதுடில்லி: மத்திய அரசின் பல்வேறு அமைச்சகங்கள் மற்றும் துறைகளில், பெரும்பாலான அதிகாரிகளை, வீட்டில் இருந்து வேலை பார்க்கும்படி கூறப்பட்டுள்ளது.

கொரோனா வைரஸ் பரவல் இரண்டாவது அலை மிக தீவிரமாக உள்ளது. நாட்டின் பல்வேறு மாநிலங்களிலும், குறிப்பாக டில்லியில் வைரஸ் பாதிப்பு அதிகமாக உள்ளது.இந்நிலையில், பல்வேறு மத்திய அரசின் அமைச்சகங்கள் மற்றும் துறைகளில், வாய்ப்புள்ள அதிகாரிகளை, வீட்டில் இருந்து வேலை பார்க்கும்படி கூறப்பட்டுள்ளது.

அனைத்து துறைகளுக்கும் இது தொடர்பான உத்தரவு எதையும், பணியாளர் நலத் துறை பிறப்பிக்கவில்லை. இருப்பினும், சூழ்நிலையை பொறுத்து, அந்தந்த அமைச்சகங்கள் மற்றும் துறைகள் இந்த முடிவை எடுத்துள்ளதாக தெரிகிறது.சார்பு செயலர் மற்றும் அதற்கு கீழ் நிலையில் உள்ள ஊழியர்கள் மட்டும், வீடுகளில் இருந்து பணியாற்றும்படி கூறப்பட்டுள்ளதாக தெரிகிறது.இந்நிலையில், 45 வயதுக்கு மேற்பட்ட அனைத்து ஊழியர்களும், கொரோனா தடுப்பூசி போட்டுக் கொள்ளும்படி, அனைத்து துறைகளுக்கும், சமீபத்தில் சுற்றறிக்கை அனுப்பப்பட்டுள்ளது.