No bed in their backyards, patients risk long travel for treatment

SURAT/VADODARA/AHMEDABAD: The dire shortage of beds and oxygen is forcing Covid-19 patients to risk travelling hundreds of kilometres away to save their lives.
If patients from Saurashtra are going all the way up to Surat, Vadodara hospitals are seeing an influx of Covid-infected from Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. Situation at Ahmedabad Civil Hospital is no different even as it’s become virtually impossible to get beds there.
Saurashtra’s three biggest hospitals — the Pandit Deendayal Hospital (Rajkot civil hospital), Jamnagar’s GG Hospitals and Bhavnagar’s Sir T Hospital — are overwhelmed with patients not just from respective cities but from villages of other districts too.
Patients who are being informed two or three days in advance by their doctors about possible oxygen requirements are packing their bags to Surat where several community isolation centres have been set up to reduce the pressure on government hospitals.
Manju Koshiya (60) and her husband Kurji (65), both Covid-19 positive, were brought to the city from Nari village in Bhavnagar district, 354 kms away, after they could not find a hospital bed with oxygen supply. While the woman’s health is improving, her husband is still down with serious infection.
Similarly, government officer Vipul Patel had to shift his both elder brothers to Surat from Rajkot for similar issues. “I inquired with my friends here and got them admitted owing to the difficulties in Rajkot. The facilities are better in Surat, at least for now,” Patel told TOI.
Dr J P Modi, medical superintendent of Ahmedabad Civil Hospital — Gujarat's biggest Covid care hospital — said that they are witnessing an influx of patients both from outside the city and state. “We don’t have statistics, but several travel hundreds of kilometres in hope of getting one bed with a ventilator or BiPAP. We attempt to provide bed to all irrespective of their domicile,” he said.
In Vadodara, three members of a family from Rajgadh in MP have come and one of them is in serious condition at the SSG Hospital while two others are in private hospitals. Minister of state for Narmada and urban housing Yogesh Patel said around 2,000 patients from outside the district are being treated in Vadodara.
In PDU Hospital at Rajkot, there are 60-70 ambulances and private vehicles waiting for patients’ admission at any given time of the day while Jamnagar collector had made a fervent appeal to people not to bring patients to GG Hospital as they were already stretched beyond capacity.
Geeta Chaklasiya (47) was brought to the city from Jalila village of Botad district two days ago. “Doctor told us to keep oxygen ready as she may need it anytime. We searched but couldn’t find any facility nearby and so we brought her to Surat,” said Naresh, her brother-in-law. Another 85-year-old patient Bhikha Chaklasiya too was brought to the city by his son Bharat, a textile businessman.
There are at least 10 such centres having beds in the range of 20 to 50 that have been set up by various communities like Patidars, Jains, Marwadis, Ahir Samaj etc.
Manish Kapadiya, a coordinator at an isolation centre set up by Samast Patidar Samaj, told TOI: “Relatives of patients requiring oxygen support are inquiring with Surat hospitals for vacant beds and once they get confirmation, they shift them. Many such patients are getting treatment in isolation centres here,”
“Of the 40 patients admitted here, total 14 have been brought from Saurashtra. We are taking all types of care of these patients since they come from long distances and have limited local support,” said Abhin Kalathiya, a coordinator.