As the Kollam District Hospital continues to be a total COVID-19 facility, delayed treatment and procedures are causing difficulties to non-COVID-19 patients.
In the absence of inpatient facility and surgeries, many are forced to opt for private hospitals. While the outpatient department is functional, dialysis, chemotherapy and a couple of cardiology procedures are the only other services provided by the hospital now. “Before the pandemic, the outpatient footfall per day was around 3,000 and now the number has gone below 1,000. Most of our cardiology and urology patients are now depending on private facilities or medical college hospitals in neighbouring districts,” says a hospital official.
Over 100 surgeries
Earlier, the hospital used to conduct around 60 cataract surgeries a day and over 40 major surgeries from various departments, including orthopaedics, ENT and urology.
“We were asked to go to Thiruvananthapuram Medical College Hospital since the hospital is now admitting COVID-19 patients only. My daughter requires regular hospitalisation due to a renal disorder. Taking her there for tests and procedures in the middle of restrictions is not easy and we cannot afford private facilities. They are ignoring patients with chronic issues and focussing on COVID cases who are mostly discharged after a week,” says Latha Devi, a resident of Anchal.
While the Health Department has been diverting patients to taluk hospitals, the facilities are struggling to cope with the inflow.
“Taluk hospitals are not equipped to accommodate all patients who are under specialty care. We have seven theatres inside one main theatre and the taluk hospitals with minimal facilities are no match. Non-COVID-19 patients are suffering and the hospital too is facing a major revenue dip,” adds the official.
Medical equipment worth crores are lying unused in the hospital under the Kollam district panchayat. “The current situation is causing much hardship to commoners. We can set aside 50% beds for non-COVID-19 patients as we have other facilities like the one with 1,000 oxygen beds in Chavara. We should be considerate towards the underprivileged sections who completely depend on the District Hospital,” says district panchayat president Sam K. Daniel.
Meanwhile, health officials feel reconverting the hospital is not feasible since the caseload is rising in the district.
Third wave
“At present, the District Hospital is conducting all emergency cardiology procedures, chemotherapy, dialysis and autopsies. We have made arrangements at taluk hospitals for surgeries. It is practically not possible to reconvert the hospital, especially when we are expecting a third wave,” says R.Sandhya, Deputy DMO. She adds that the 1,000-bed facility at Chavara was only a CFLTC.
“We will not be able to manage with CFLTCs that accommodate patients with minor problems. We need a proper hospital with ICU facility for severe ‘B’ and ‘C’ category patients,” she says.
