ONGOLE: In the wake of sharp spike in Covid-19 cases, the demand for oxygen beds has increased abnormally in Prakasam district. The pressure on oxygen beds is more in Ongole Government General Hospital, which gets Covid cases from neighbouring districts also. The intensity of the problem can be seen from the fact that several Covid patients are waiting for oxygen beds in the GGH reception centre itself.
“My elder brother tested positive for Covid-19 a week ago. Doctors advised him to be in home isolation. He developed breathing problem yesterday evening. We put him on oxygen support by getting a cylinder with great difficulty. We came to GGH in the morning and till now (at 2 pm) we have not allotted an oxygen bed. The doctors continued oxygen support in the GGH reception centre itself. As the number of new cases is rising abnormally, the GGH authorities are finding it extremely difficult to allot beds for all,” MS Lakshmi, told TNIE on Friday.
Meanwhile, the GGH medical officers have urged the government to increase oxygen allocation to Prakasam district in view of alarming rise in Covid-19 cases. “We have a 20 KL capacity oxygen stock point on the GGH premises. We got a 13 KL oxygen refill yesterday. It is just sufficient to meet the present demand. There is a heavy pressure on oxygen beds and ICU beds and beds with ventilator support in view of sharp surge in Covid cases,” Dr T Muralikrishna Reddy, Deputy Superintendent of GGH, explained.
As on Friday, the GGH had 30 ICU beds, 178 oxygen general beds and 153 general beds for new cases. “Though technically we have a few all category beds, they are our buffer capacity and we have to use them for emergency cases only. Meanwhile, we are mainly depending on the daily discharges of Covid patients. Whenever a bed falls vacant, we are allotting it to the needy patient immediately,” he said.
Though the hospital has more doctors on rolls, the actual number of staff working in three shifts is varying from day to day. “The appointments were made last year on a temporary basis. Several of them are yet to join duties. Some of them are reluctant to take the risk at this juncture,” revealed a source in the DMHO. However, the district authorities are trying their best to provide adequate medical staff to all Covid hospitals and care centres in the district. The authorities are taking every care to provide quality medical treatment to Covid patients.
Recently, the district authorities set up a 70-bed ward in the adjacent Girijana Bhavan and attached it to the GGH. “We are going to increase the GGH affiliated beds by 80 soon. People should strictly adhere to Covid Appropriate Behaviour to keep the virus at bay,” said District Collector P Bhaskar who inspected the GGH.