GITAM hospital employees fear coronavirus no more

VISAKHAPATNAM: Last month, a few nursing staff of the GITAM Hospital ran away after they were assigned on coronavirus duty. Now, they are part of the team that has successfully treated five positive patients at the district Covid-19 hospital.

“We motivated the staff for two weeks and allayed their fears on coronavirus. They are now actively involved in the treatment of infectees. More junior doctors are coming forward to enthusiastically work in the Covid ward. Every doctor, nurse and sanitation worker directly involved in the treatment of Covid patients are given protective gears, such as PPE kits and N-95 masks,” GITAM Hospital superintendent N Dwarakanath told TNIE.

An isolation ward is set up on the seventh floor of the building. Not just doctors, even patients are equipped with N-95 masks.“The patients are given food rich in protein and other nutrients. Proper care of their medication and tests is being taken. An entire floor was dedicated for the purpose. The patients are under the care of doctors round-the-clock. The doctors, who work for a week, are kept in quarantine for two weeks at the hostels, where even nurses and sanitary workers are isolated,” he explained.

The hospital staff work in four shifts. Two doctors, one consultant and junior doctors each, two nurses and a sanitation worker work in each shift. There was no shortage of PPE kits and N95 masks as the district administration has provided the hospital with sufficient stock, he added.

“In all, we have 45 consultants and 85 junior doctors,” the superintendent said and added that the hospital’s isolation unit, which currently has 125 beds, has the capacity to hold 600 beds.“We can manage the present 120 wards with the existing staff. If their numbers are increased, we may need more staff.”
Also, regular counselling of the patients is being done by psychiatrists and a television has been installed on the premises for the patients’ entertainment.