Last week, Shalini’s (name changed) family had a harrowing experience as her 94-year-old grandfather’s health took a turn for the worse. He was having breathing difficulties and no hospital was willing to admit him without a COVID-19 certificate. It took many calls and knocking on the doors of several hospitals before they finally found one that would admit him.
“Surprisingly, there were only two patients in the ward and enough beds available,” said Shalini. Her grandfather passed away the next morning. He was diagnosed with ‘aspiration pneumonia’ and did not have COVID-19.
In another part of the city, this week, a man reached out to his Residents’ Welfare Association (RWA) after his pregnant wife, in her 38th week, was made to undergo COVID-19 test in a maternity hospital and found to have contracted the virus. She was informed of this verbally. The couple, who have been asked to take a second test, are now in a dilemma about where she will be admitted for delivery.
A man who tested positive and had symptomatic aggravation in the afternoon a few days ago was refused admission in the hospital where he got tested. It was only by late evening that he managed to get admitted to another private hospital. Similar stories are being echoed from various parts every day as Bengaluru is seeing a huge spike in the number of cases in the last few days. As on Saturday, according to the Health Department’s media bulletin, Bengaluru Urban had 29,621 positive cases, of which 22,449 were still active. The total number of discharges was 6,540. There is an increasing number of anecdotal cases of families finding it difficult to get a bed for their loved one.
‘Beds available’
On the other hand, according to the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike’s (BBMP) COVID-19 hospital bed status, as on Saturday 2 p.m., there were 372 beds available in government hospitals (of 853), 19 in government medical colleges (of 769), 4,447 in private hospitals (of a total of 5,027, with only 580 occupied), 740 in private medical colleges (of 2,097), and 459 in COVID Care Centres (of 2,624).
The civic body’s data showed that there are a total of 16,257 COVID-19 and non-COVID beds in private hospitals other than the government quota beds. Why then are there still reports of hospital admission denials every day?
In Ms. Shalini’s case, she said most hospitals they approached expressed fear of admitting a possible positive case into a non-COVID-19 ward and endangering other patients in the absence of a test and certificate. “They also said that if he didn’t have the virus, and was admitted in the COVID-19 ward, it would be putting him at risk. Either way, someone was at risk,” she said.
In the other cases, there have been allegations of hospitals asking for payment or insurance certificates before admission. In some others, there is simply a reluctance to take in a patient.
However, hospital managements have maintained that it is not the lack of beds, but rather a shortage of staff that is the problem. Prasanna H.M., president-elect, Private Hospitals and Nursing Homes’ Association (PHANHA), said there was at least 50% shortage of staff, including doctors, nurses, paramedical staff, and Group D workers.
PHANHA recently claimed that 58 of 384 private hospitals in Bengaluru have shut their operations permanently or temporarily in the last one year, and 25 of them after the pandemic began.
“On an average, around 7,000 nurses, 6,000 doctors and 12,000 paramedics are required. We already did not have 100% recruitment and at present, there is around 50% shortage among existing staff. About 30% went back to their native places during the lockdown, and another another 20% refused to work because of fear. A small percentage is either under quarantine or treatment as they have tested positive. The government is insisting on 50% beds, and we have even said we will run given they can arrange manpower,” said Dr. Prasanna. The way forward, he said, is to rope in medical, nursing and pharmacy students and volunteers who can help the staff.
On the other hand, some RWAs are taking proactive measures to ensure their member residents do not face the same ordeal. The Bangalore Apartments’ Federation plans to help communities build COVID Care Centres within their own premises.
1912 helpline centre sealed
The 1912 helpline centre of the Bangalore Electricity Supply Company (Bescom), which was designated as the helpline for grievances related to hospital admission denials, has been sealed down for 48 hours after eight staff tested positive. A press release said here on Saturday that citizens can contact 9480812450 on WhatsApp or mail 1912covidhelpline@gmail.com for hospital denial-related complaints. For electricity related complaints, consumers have been asked to contact the area field officers, whose contact details are available on www.bescom.karnataka.gov.in.
