COVID hospitals to admit sick patients only
Irfan Tramboo
Srinagar, July 24: To ease up the load, the COVID-19 designated hospitals in Srinagar are now going to admit only sick patients on referral basis and those who are asymptomatic will be admitted to various COVID care centres established by the Government.
The Government has taken this decision to ensure the optimal use of facilities available at the Category-A Level Hospitals and at the same time unburden them in the wake of increased patient load-symptomatic as well as asymptomatic.
The Category-A Level Hospitals include SKIMS Soura, SKIMS Bemina, SMHS, and Chest Diseases Hospital in Srinagar.
The COVID care centres have been established by the Government at Zakura, Hyderpora, Rangreth and NIT Hazratbal.
Financial Commissioner, Health and Medical Education Department (H&ME), Atal Dulloo told Excelsior that there is enough space available as of now and that the Government is further increasing the bed capacity in various other districts as well as in Srinagar.
“We are augmenting the facilities everywhere; district Srinagar has a capacity of 3000 beds and I have come to know that 1500 beds more are being added,” he said
He also said that the Government is not planning anything on home isolating the asymptomatic COVID-19 positive patients or those with mild symptoms to decrease the burden on the hospitals.
“We are not planning to do that as of now as I told you that we have got enough space,” he said.
It is pertinent to mention here that the Srinagar district administration had earlier released a video on July 18 claiming that hospitals are full.
It was an awareness video that was released by the district administration underlining that the hospitals in the district were full and that there were no beds available for patients.
Further, while giving details about the availability of oxygen supply in Kashmir hospitals, the Financial Commissioner said that out of 6500 oxygen cylinders, the majority has been given to Kashmir-keeping in view the number of cases.
“We will be providing additional 5000 cylinders to Valley in coming days,” he said.
He also said that there are a total of 340 patients across J&K who have felt need for oxygen and are currently undergoing oxygen therapy and only 6 patients are on ventilators.
About ventilators, he said that some have reached Srinagar and are functional while as some more are on their way.
The administration has now directed the hospitals not to admit asymptomatic COVID-19 positive or those having mild symptoms.
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