Authorities gearing up to handle more patients

Hospital beds earmarked for COVID-19 treatment are fast filling up at government tertiary care hospitals in the district as the number of cases reported is at an all-time high.At the Tiruchi Mahatma G

Hospital beds earmarked for COVID-19 treatment are fast filling up at government tertiary care hospitals in the district as the number of cases reported is at an all-time high. At the Tiruchi Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Government Hospital, of a total available 684 beds, only 135 were vacant as of Wednesday. Of the allotted beds, 60 are in the intensive-care unit, of which only five are vacant; 311 are oxygen beds, of which 99 are vacant; and 313 are non-oxygen beds, of which 31 are vacant. The MGMGH had only last week converted the nursing students’ hostel to admit COVID-19 patients, and the students were shifted to the hostels available at the K.A.P. Viswanatham Government Medical College. A senior official of the MGMGH said that for the number of beds to increase at the hospital, more hands were required. All other departments including the Speciality Block with trauma, burns cases, and other out-patient departments were fully functional with a requirement of doctors and nurses for patient care. ‘During the COVID-19 lockdown last year, we had diverted all resources to treat COVID-19 patients. However, this time around, patients need emergency care there too,’ the source said.