GMC Anantnag’s isolation ward sans life support system

In absence of a life support system, the severely sick coronavirus infected patients struggle for survival in the isolation ward of the Government Medical College (Anantnag), a tertiary care hospital for south Kashmir.

The hospital presently has a four-bedded Intensive Care Unit (ICU) that looks more of a general ward than critical care with only patients requiring non-invasive ventilation treated here.

Not a single patient has been intubated in this ICU so far and those needing invasive ventilation were referred to Srinagar hospitals directly.

However, since the second wave of COVID-19 intensified there are no beds available for the patients in Srinagar, leaving the doctors helpless.

“Many patients who could have been saved by providing invasive ventilation died in the isolation ward of GMC Anantnag,” a medic said.

He said that there was no ICU bed in the hospital for COVID-infected patients despite it being a tertiary care facility.

Nineteen people have lost their lives in the past five days alone.

Among them was a 35-year-old woman, Shabnum, and her 65-year-old mother-in-law, Mehbooba from Bakshiabad locality of Anantnag town.

Also, another woman, and her mother-in-law from Harnag village of Anantnag died in the hospital on May 13.

Seventy COVID-infected patients are presently admitted in the hospital.

“The mortality rate in this hospital is on the higher side and most of the people who died here remained admitted here for more than two weeks,” a medic said.

Principal GMC AnantnagDrShowkatJeelani has been maintaining that the hospital is fully equipped and has 10-bedded ICU facility.

But the official bulletin of the government on COVID-19, said that none of the designated beds in GMC Anantnag are ICU ones.

Incharge Medical Superintendent (MS) of the hospital, DrMurtazaFazal Ali admitted that the hospital has no invasive ICU bed for COVID-infected patients.

“We are managing severely sick patients on bi-pap (bi-level positive pressure ventilation) for now,” the MS said.

A medic, however, said only one bi-pap was available for now.

On April 24, ShahzadaBano, wife of Manzoor Ahmad Ghazi, aged 68, of Kadipora locality of the old town admitted in the hospital also lost the battle to COVID-19 for want of ventilator support.

Bano was admitted in the hospital on April 16.

She needed non-invasive ventilator support but there was no bed available in any of tertiary care hospitals in Srinagar and she finally died in the isolation ward.

“We have so many patients needing a non-invasive ventilator support, but we are helpless,” another medic said.

The hospital catering to four south Kashmir districts – Anantnag, Kulgam, Pulwama and Shopian – as well as parts of Chenab Valley had till early last year only two ventilators.