Anantnag Maternity Hospital knows no social distancing norms

At a time when ‘social distancing’ has become a universal canon to prevent covid19 spread, the lone maternity and childcare hospital (MCH) in south Kashmir apparently stands out against this rule: at least two pregnant women are made to share same bed here.

The hospital authorities have failed to set up an isolation facility for the expecting mothers coming to it from the designated red zones. This exposes to risk the patients as well as their attendants. Besides, the doctors and paramedics who are made to work without proper safety gear could also be vulnerable to the covid19 infection.

Referring to the case of an IUD patient who had come from red zone Kalihar, Larnoo here, and died soon after delivering dead twins on Saturday, a doctor in the hospital said: “Instead of isolating her immediately she was admitted in the ward where she came in contact with other patients and attendants.”

He said as she was taken to labour room, the doctors and paramedics had to literally beg for the safety gears— PPEs and masks.

After she died, the medical staff was worried fearing she might test positive for the coronavirus. “Her swabs have been taken for testing and the reports are awaited,” he said.

The doctors who treated the deceased have gone into home quarantine hoping the tests of the deceased are negative.

However; late in the evening news came in that the deceased woman has tested positive for COVID19.

“We could not have imagined worse than that. The hospital staff is in shock “a medic said.

He, however was quick to add that the cause of her death is being ascertained.

Another medic said it was impossible to create the isolation facility in the MCH. “Even as the capacity of the hospital has been increased to 110 beds, it continues to function from an old and dilapidated building located in the congested Sherbagh locality of the old town,” he said.

The pleas of locals to shift the hospital to a better place have gone unheard for a decade now.

The hospital has been catering to the entire south Kashmir and Pir Panchal range and always remains overcrowded.” Not much has changed since the outbreak of this pandemic. The OPDs have not been regulated either, with people from all areas turning up every day,” the doctor said, adding that the chances of spread of infection from here to the neighbouring localities are quite strong.

The medic suggested creating another facility for maternity care or else taking over a few private nursing homes for the purpose right now.

As per the WHO guidelines all pregnant women who visit the hospital have to be treated as corona-virus infection probable.

Two pregnant women hailing from one of the Covid-19 hotspots in Shangus area tested positive yesterday

“This really is alarming,” the doctor said.

The hospital authorities are throwing all protocols to wind. ”At least two patients can be seen sharing the same bed in the wards even now. The beds can also be seen in the corridor at a bare minimum distance,” the medic said.

Medical Superintendent (MS) of the hospital, Dr Mir Ji Andrabi admitted the space crunch in the hospital was creating hurdles in dealing with the present crisis.

“We get patients from every nook and corner even now. Even those who are not emergency patients are coming. We are not in a position to turn them back. It has to be regulated at the peripheral level only,” the MS said.

Principal GMC, Anantnag Dr. Showkat Jeelani also acknowledged the hospital was overcrowded. “We are now working at creating another maternity facility at Bijbehara town,” he said.