Short of beds, GMC Anantnag to admit only patients needing high-flow oxygen

With Government Medical College (GMC) Anantnag running out of beds for COVID-19 patients, the authorities Monday decided to only admit severely sick patients to ease the burden on the hospital.

The decision was taken following a meeting of the hospital and health authorities with District Magistrate Anantnag Dr Piyush Singla.

“Keeping in view the heavy influx of patients to the hospital, the GMC Anantnag will admit severely sick patients with co-morbidities,” an official said.

He said that this would ease the burden on the hospital which was already struggling to find beds for the patients needing high-flow oxygen.

An official said that the patients who were not so sick and could be managed at medium-flow oxygen supply would be admitted at Emergency and Trauma Hospital (Bijbehara) designated as a COVID designated hospital.

“The hospital has 75 beds and the patients admitted there are being provided oxygen supply through bulk cylinders. The plant with 500 Lpm capacity which would cater to at least 20 beds at a time will be made functional shortly,” he said.

An official said, NTPHC Aakhoora, Mattan had also been now designated as a separate facility for not-so-sick patients, needing low-flow oxygen.

“The facility will have 50 beds and will be equipped with 30 bulk cylinders, 28 concentrators and 105 medium-sized oxygen cylinders,” he said.

The GMC Anantnag hospital had designated 70 beds for COVID-19 patients with high-flow oxygen being provided by a 100 Lpm plant to 30 beds at a time.

However, as of now, all the beds are occupied.

Medical Superintendent of the hospital Dr Muhammad Iqbal said it was not advisable to discharge severely sick patients immediately.

“Almost all the admitted patients have severe bilateral pneumonia with many among them co-morbid. So, they need proper observation of the doctors,” he said.