Dengue scare: SCB hikes bed capacity of special ward

CUTTACK: The rise inflow of dengue patients to SCB Medical College and Hospital here has prompted the medical college authorities to take steps to manage the cases efficiently.The SCB authorities have opened a 150-bed special dengue ward equipped with eight special intensive care units (ICUs), adequate dedicated paramedic staff, mosquito nets and other necessary equipment, like dengue test kits on the fourth floor of Ophthalmology Department. The number of beds has been increased by 50 this year considering the large turnout of patients last year.

At an emergency review meeting held recently under the chairmanship of SCBMCH Superintendent Prof. Prasanna Kumar Debata, Prof. CBK Mohanty was appointed nodal officer of the ward and Associate Professor Dr Sriprasad Mohanty as assistant.While HOD, Medicine, Dr PK Padhi has beenrequested to ensure overall management by assigning round-the-clock duties to Resident Doctors in the dengue ward, Cuttack CDMO has been requested to deploy 30 dengue volunteers and six laboratory technicians for smooth management of the cases, Prof Debata informed.

“Besides storing medicines, arrangements have been made in Pathology Department for collection of samples round-the-clock and steps have been taken by Microbiology Department to conduct investigations on all days, including holidays,” said Prof Debata. The cost of investigation and treatment, including ICU charges towards treating dengue patients will be free, he added.Meanwhile, 20 patients were undergoing treatment at SCB Medical College and Hospital and three of them are in ICU, informed Dr Mohanty.

Out of 36 samples examined on Wednesday, nine were found positive for vector-borne disease. Four of the positive cases belong to Cuttack, three to Jagatsinghpur and one each from Khurda and Nayagarh districts.
Last year, dengue cases were reported from 28 districts with Balasore, Bhadrak, Kendrapara, Jagatsinghpur, Jajpur, Cuttack, Khurda and Puri districts registering over 85 per cent of the cases. While eight people had died, 2,315 patients were cured and discharged from the hospital.