The Government Medical College (GMC) here is equipped with just two ventilators to combat the covid-19 threat in entire south Kashmir, which is spread over four districts having population of around 30 lakh.
These two ventilators however remain occupied at any pointand in “reality” there was no intensive care facility reserved for handling anycovid-19 case, said a senior doctor.
He questioned the government preparedness to deal with thesituation in south Kashmir. “Declaring a structure as quarantine facility andequipping it with some beds is not enough. The real worry is the situation inthe hospitals which lack intensive care facilities,” said the doctor.
“As far as hospitals in south Kashmir are concerned we arein no position to handle situation if it worsens,” said the doctor.
Another doctors said the GMC has specialist, but in absenceof life-supporting system they will be rendered handicapped.
He described dearth of intensive care set-up across southKashmir as “long and chronic problem.”
“It leads to referrals which results in overburdening ofSrinagar hospitals,” the doctor said.
He said the Union health ministry recently issued anadvisory asking all hospitals to prepare medical infrastructure for anypossible influx of covid-19 cases.
“We have no facility at all. Our preparations aresuperficial and misleading,” the doctor said.
The 250-bedded GMC hospital has set up six beds in IsolationWard and 10 beds in quarantine for people having covid-19 symptoms.
Principal GMC, Dr Showkat Jeelani said they have placed theorder for 10 ventilators three months ago.
“Hopefully we will receive them next month,” he said, addingthe hospital has received funds to procure equipment.
“The space crunch is the reason for us not being able toequip the hospital with the required infrastructure,” he said.
The doctor however said inview of the exigency, the life system support should have been in place by now.
“If God forbid there is an outbreak how will we deal withthe situation,” he asked. “We will have to fall back on tertiary care hospitalswhich are always overburdened.”
Another doctors said even if the ventilators were procuredthere was no manpower and support system to operate them.