Beds vacant but pvt hospitals turn away Covid-19 patients

Beds vacant but pvt hospitals turn away Covid-19 patients

Ram.Sundaram@timesgroup.com

Chennai:01.08.2020

The state government’s Covid-19 dashboard shows more than half the number of beds in private hospitals meant for infected patients are vacant, but hospitals turn away patients.

Tamil Nadu has 52,427 beds for Covid-19 patients. Of this, 39,104 are in government hospitals controlled which report 40% occupancy. The remaining 23,568 beds were vacant on Thursday. Private hospitals have 13,323 Covid beds and 47% (6210 beds) were occupied, according to the dashboard.

A 61-year-old man from Royapettah told TOI that soon after he developed breathing difficulties, he reached out to a private hospital on Mount Poonamalle High Road. The hospital stabilised his oxygen level, but refused further treatment saying they did not have oxygen-supported beds. “The same happened at another hospital on the same stretch. Later I got admitted to the Omandurar government hospital,” he added.

TN Government Multi Super Specialty Hospital dean R Jayanthi said the hospital gets last minute referral.

5,881 new cases, 97 deaths in TN

TN’s fresh Covid-19 infections dipped for the second day on Friday with 5,881new cases and 97 deaths. The number of actives cases in the state is now 57,968. Hotspot Chennai had 1,013 cases, marginally lower than Thursday’s 1,175, and 21deaths. Its three adjoining districts together added 1,192 cases —Kancheepuram 485, Tiruvallur 395 and Chengalpet 334. The remaining seven northern districts added 995 cases and 19 deaths, taking the tally for the 11districts to 3,200 and toll to 53. P 14

‘Not all hosps can handle severe cases’

Chennai: “Things are much better than they were last month, but we continue to get critical cases from private hospitals,” she said. A doctor at Stanley Medical College Hospital said such patients coming in at the last minute are at high risk and such deaths increase the mortality rate.

The situation has been worse in districts like Tirunelveli and Theni, which have limited number of hospitals. Theni has only three empanelled Covid-19 hospitals which can handle moderate to severe cases, and patients have been on waitlist. Eventually, they arrive at Theni General Hospital, said a postgraduate assistant working there.

Indian Medical Association state secretary A K Ravikumar said non-availability of oxygen beds or ICU beds was the main reason why private hospitals send away patients.

People should understand that not all Covid-designated hospitals can treat people with moderate and severe symptoms. There are three categories of Covid hospitals. Only category-I (dedicated hospitals) can handle them. The other two categories (health centres and care centres) can’t admit such cases.

TN has 134 such hospitals in category-II and category-III and most of them are in tier-II cities or smaller towns. Tamil Nadu Health Development Association president Rex Sargunam said the government should ensure that all patients get enough care. “If it cannot take over private hospitals, it should at least ensure they treat at insurance council-prescribed rates,” he said.