CUTTACK: With over 60 persons being infected by coronavirus in Acharya Harihar Postgraduate Institute of Cancer (AHPGIC), the only Government-run cancer hospital in the state may well turn out to be a super spreader of Covid-19.
Twenty-two cancer patients, 37 attendants, three staff nurses and some other staff have been tested positive within a week after coming in contact with a cancer patient from Ganjam district who was admitted to the hospital on June 19 for chemotherapy and tested positive on June 24.
The 281-bed hospital gets more than 500 patients daily not only from Odisha but also from neighbouring Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and West Bengal.
However, gross lapses by authorities of the premier cancer hospital in adhering to Covid-19 protocols while dealing with patients has resulted in the surge of cases at the hospitals.
Instructions from the Health Department, notwithstanding, the authorities concerned failed to set up a Covid corner and special isolation ward besides, framing a standard operating procedure(SOP) to deal with suspected coronavirus patients at OPDs, Casualty and also in the wards.
This apart, the overcrowded hospital has little takers for social distancing norms. Health workers of the cancer hospital have alleged that they have not been provided the essential PPE kits and sufficient number of N95 masks.
Some of them who are engaged in collecting blood samples from patients were compelled to purchases N95 masks from their own money.
What has raised a greater concern is the discharge of many unscreened cancer patients from the hospital to their homes from June 20 to July 1 who are now being suspected to have been infected with the virus.
A 53-year-old liver cancer patient of Praharajpur in Cuttack Sadar block who was admitted to AHPGIC on June 12 returned home after the hospital authorities discharged him on June 23.
When the patient’s condition deteriorated, his family members rushed him to AIIMS-Bhubaneswar on June 25 where his swab sample tested positive for Covid- 19.
After detection of the case, Kissannagar Tehsildar and health officials on Friday traced 22 contacts including his family members who have been advised to undergo home quarantine. Their swab samples will be collected and sent for test.
Similarly, the large number of attendants at AHPGIC who have been tested positive has worried health officials who are now facing a tough task of tracing their contacts.
The infected attendants are suspected to have visited different shops including medicine stores, eateries, betel shop and tea stalls around the hospital leaving locals panicked.
Director of AHPGIC Lalatendu Sarangi could not be contacted for comments. Health experts have urged the Cuttack administration as well as the Health department to go for a comprehensive contact tracing in and around the hospital to contain the spread of the coronavirus infection.
Lapses at cancer hospital
It did not set up a Covid corner and special isolation or frame SOP to deal with suspected patients
Not many takers for social distancing at the overcrowded hospital
Health workers not provided PPE kits and N95 masks
Many unscreened cancer patients discharged between June 20 to July 1