As cases of COVID-19 continue to surge in the city, government hospitals have begun making alternative arrangements to accommodate patients.
While the Government Stanley Medical College Hospital transferred some asymptomatic patients to a quarantine facility, the Government Kilpauk Medical College (KMC) Hospital discharged a few patients who had suspected symptoms of COVID-19 and were in a stable condition, and took in around 10 new patients on Saturday.
A health official said that quarantine facilities in 11 places in the city were being readied. Officials said that the Tamil Nadu Medical Services Corporation was arranging around 1,500 beds for the facilities. Besides, it had supplied 1,561 additional cots and mattresses to the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital, the Government Stanley Medical College Hospital, KMC and the Government Medical College Hospital, Omandurar Estate, to augment bed capacity, a fortnight ago.
At the Government Stanley Medical College Hospital, an official said that patients who were asymptomatic, with no co-morbid conditions and less than 55 years of age, were transferred to a quarantine facility established at a private college. “As of now, we have 200 patients in the hospital. We have 200 beds — all single-room facilities as per norms — and are getting 100 more ready,” he said.
Officials said that hospitals were making internal arrangements to create more space to accommodate new patients every day. “At KMC, 298 patients have been admitted. Of them, 218 have tested positive for COVID-19. The remaining patients are individuals suspected to have symptoms of COVID-19. The hospital has discharged some of these patients, who are stable, and will keep track of their health. After making such arrangements, around 50 beds were vacant at the hospital,” an official said.
Hospital authorities said that they were also taking measures to shift asymptomatic patients to three quarantine centres. The hospital had requested the COVID-19 room to refer new patients to other government hospitals, in accordance with bed availability.
“We are trying to increase bed capacity to 400,” an official said.
A senior doctor suggested that the government could utilise peripheral hospitals to treat patients requiring intensive care. “These hospitals have all [necessary] facilities, while the required manpower could be moved [there] from government hospitals in the city,” he said.
