As the corona cases spike, the MGM Hospital in Warangal, the lifeline for the entire North Telangana districts, has decided to ramp up testing by keeping the facility open 24 hours.
Hospital superintendent K. Nagarjuna Reddy told The Hindu that this facility will bring some relief to people worried over testing and timings. It will also reduce pressure on the testing staff that are now dealing with almost 800 test-seekers every day.
The hospital is also stormed with patients coming from border districts in Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra, increasing pressure on the facilities and the staff. “But we are dealing with it and trying our best to help the patients in this unprecedented situation,” Dr. Reddy explains.
The hospital will add 200 more oxygen beds on Monday to the existing 360 beds with the facility. This is apart from the 80 ICU beds. Another 150 beds, without the oxygen lines, are also being added taking the total capacity to 800. As of now 350 patients are admitted.
Dr. Reddy said that the hospital is extremely careful in admissions and only those in need of oxygen or critically ill are being preferred. The other COVID-affected who can recover without oxygen are being taken care in the two COVID centres being run by the District Medical and Health Office (DMHO). Admitting that demand for oxygen is spiralling by the day, Dr. Reddy says the hospital has stocks sufficient for three days now. “We have two liquid oxygen tanks in the hospital – one of 10 kilolitres and another of 13 kilolitres capacity,” he explains. At the same time, 200 bulk cylinders that would take care of half a day’s needs are also kept ready for emergency use.
As of now there is enough oxygen, he said, but admitted some private players were trying to divert oxygen tankers coming from Hyderabad. “The other day I had to take police protection to fill up our tanks,” he said indicating that some private hospitals were trying to lure the suppliers.
Full staff on COVID duty
To deal with the pressure of COVID patients, the hospital has suspended all other operations, closed the medical college and the entire staff is deployed to serve such patients. More than 200 doctors and nearly 1,000 para medical staff are engaged in the service doing their best.
Expecting further surge in patients, CM K. Chandrasekhar Rao and Health Minister Eatala Rajender have allowed temporary recruitment of para medical staff and the notification is being given, he said. “Even some of our staff are also infected and we are being cautious to ensure that the system is not crippled,” he added.
