No bed shortage in CD, 16 still vacant
Contrary to reports run on Social Media that the Chest Diseases Hospital in Jammu has run short of beds, at least 120 beds were available in three COVID hospital including the GMC Jammu, CD Hospital and MCH Gandhi Nagar and with successful installation of 150 Oxygen concentrators and new pipeline, 190 more beds will be added in the next couple of days.
GMC Jammu Principal Dr Shashi Sudhan Sharma and CD Hospital Medical Superintendent Dr Rajeshwar Sharma told the Excelsior that patients shown in videos on Social Media sitting in open with Oxygen cylinder fitted were in fact waiting for High Resolution CT Scan and their reports and that there was no shortage of the beds at all in the CD Hospital.
“Even till late this evening, we have 16 beds available in the CD Hospital Bakshi Nagar,” Dr Rajeshwar Sharma said, adding that they have made separate space available for the patients to wait in queue for CT Scan followed by their reports but the patients preferred to sit some distance apart because of the COVID.
He said since the CD Hospital is Triage Facility, a total of 125 patients reported there from 10 am to 4 pm today and 40 of them were recommended CT Scan. A total of 22 COVID positive patients were recommended for admission in three hospitals depending on their condition including three in the CD Hospital.
Out of a total of 110 beds in the CD Hospital, 94 were occupied and 16 were vacant by this evening, Dr Rajeshwar said.
The GMC Principal said nearly 84 beds were vacant in the GMC Jammu and 20 in the MCH Gandhi Nagar.
Dr Shashi Sharma said 150 new Oxygen concentrators were installed today which will generate 150 additional bad capacity for COVID patients while Oxygen pipeline has been laid between MCH Gandhi Nagar and Old Gandhi Nagar hospital which will give 40 new beds.
These beds will be made operational shortly.
Dr Rajeshwar Sharma informed that health infrastructure in Jammu has sufficient resources in place to treat all COVID-19 patients and urged the public not to give in to panic and rumours.
He informed that 366 COVID-19 patients are under treatment in GMC Jammu, out of which 35 have been admitted in the last 24 hours.
“Out of 94 under treatment COVID patients in Chest Disease & TB Hospital, 14 have been admitted since yesterday. Similarly, the Super Specialty Hospital and Maternal & Child Health Hospital are treating 33 and 83 COVID patients respectively, out of which 14 have been admitted in the last 24 hours. (4+10)” Dr Sharma added.
Giving the details of recoveries, he said that in the last 24 hours, 22 COVID-19 patients have been discharged from GMC Jammu, 3 from Chest Disease & TB Hospital, 2 from Super Speciality Hospital Jammu and 8 from Maternal & Child Health Hospital Jammu.
Regarding treatment protocol, he said at present 359 COVID-19 patients are on oxygen support in GMC Jammu, 2 patients in Chest Disease & TB Hospital and one in Super Specialty Hospital.
Regarding availability of Oxygen supply, Dr Rajeshwar Sharma said that there are 56 oxygen concentrators of 10 litre capacity available in GMC Jammu; 35 oxygen concentrators of 10 litre capacity and 5 others of 5 litre capacity are in Shri Maharaja Gulab Singh Hospital; 30 oxygen concentrators of 10 litre capacity and 5 oxygen concentrators of 5 litre capacity in Super Speciality Hospital; 19 oxygen concentrators of 10 litre capacity in Psychiatry Hospital; 15 concentrators of 10 litre capacity, while 10 others of 5 litre capacity are with Chest Disease & TB Hospital.
A round-the-clock Divisional Control Room has also been established to address all medical advice and queries and can be reached at 0191-2520982, 2549676, 2674444, 2674115 and 2674908.
Saying that there is adequate infrastructure in place to deal with the emerging situation, he appealed the people not to give in to panic and rumours.
Dispelling certain apprehensions making rounds about the vaccination, he said both vaccines Covishield and Covaxin available in India are safe and rumours about side effects are devoid of facts. He said that vaccines provide effective protection against the virus and the people need to take both doses as per the prescribed timelines.
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