Chennai govt hospitals gear up for another Covid wave

Chennai govt hospitals gear up for another Covid wave

With a spike in Covid cases, the government medical college hospitals in the city have begun to add more beds and there are plans to retain house surgeons and final year PG doctors.

Published: 25th March 2021 05:50 AM 

 Shekhar Yadav, EPS)

By Sinduja Jane

Express News Service

CHENNAI: With a spike in Covid cases, the government medical college hospitals in the city have begun to add more beds and there are plans to retain house surgeons and final year PG doctors. Kilpauk Medical College Hospital which cut down on Covid beds to around 150 after cases came down, on Wednesday converted the new surgical building with 450 beds exclusively for Covid treatment.

Dr P Vasanthamani, Dean, said, “We want to be prepared in cases of a surge.Dr Vasanthamani said.” RGGGH which handled up to 1,183 cases per day during the peak is now readying the 5th and 6th floor in Tower III block. Dr E Theranirajan, Dean, said, “We already have 1,618 beds in Tower III. Now, we have around 259 cases, both confirmed and suspected cases.

We are readying the 5th and 6th floor in Tower-111. So, that in case if the four floors reach 50 per cent occupancy we can shift patients to 5th and 6th floors. The fifth floor will have 120 beds and for 6th floor we are working on the numbers. “As of now there is no alarming rise and we are getting around 40 cases per day. This includes suspected and positive cases. We are witnessing family clusters now. The hospital has adequate doctors and paramedical staff.”

Government Stanley Medical College Hospital which had 1,200 beds has retained one block with 600 beds. Two blocks with 400 beds are being prepared to deal with a spike. “Now we have reached 100 admissions. So we are preparing two other blocks. We have also been given one block in Covid Care Centre at Athipattu and asymptomatic people will be sent there,” said Dr P Balaji, Dean of the hospital.

Government Omandurar Medical College Hospital which was made exclusive Covid hospital retains 750 beds. “We have 260 inpatients now,” said Dean Dr R Jayanthi. Meanwhile, Dr R Narayanababu, Director of Medical Education said, “We are in the process of finding doctors from other district who are willing to work in Chennai.”

Pvt hosps opt out

A Health Department official said, at least seven private hospitals which were providing Covid treatment earlier have now expressed unwillingness to treat patients.