KOLKATA: A healthcare crisis is looming over central and north central Kolkata with almost all hospitals and private clinics in the belt shutting down after several patients and medical staff started testing positive.
Family members of those requiring non-Covid care have been making panic calls to doctors to figure out where to take their patients for treatment. Jorasanko MLA Smita Bakshi said she would speak to the health department to resolve the issue. Most of these health facilities are located in containment zones of Burrabazar and Central Avenue. “It is a concerning thing that four big hospitals in the area are either shut or unable to function properly,” said Bakshi.
Marwari Relief Society and Matri Mangal Pratishthan and Eden Hospital have been sealed after patients and medical staff were found Covid-19 positive. At Medical College & Hospital, one of cities biggest hospitals, healthcare facilities have been heavily truncated after several patients, doctors, nurses and other workers tested positive. The OPD is shut while the emergency department is working at almost half its strength.
Absence of transport options has made it difficult for people to ferry patients to medical facilities located at far-off places. “My father had a severe bout of food poisoning on Sunday. But I did not know where to take him because all hospitals in the neighbourhood are shut. I had to take him to a nursing home in Bagbazar in a rickshaw. He is doing well now but I shudder to think what will happen if anybody suffers a fracture or a cardiac arrest,” said Vishnu Agarwal, a resident of Armenian Street.
Even for minor ailments like viral fever and common cold, physicians are not available as all the private clinics are shut. Almost all pharmacies in these pockets have visiting doctors but in the Covid season, most of them are unavailable. “A relative was suffering from fever last week but there was no doctor available in any of the central Kolkataclinics,” said Sarthak Das, a resident of Waterloo Street.
A functionary from Marwari Relief Society said they had no plans to reopen the hospital in the next few days. “Everyday, hundreds come with numerous health related complaints. Most of them are locals so we cannot take any chance,” said the functionary. At Medical College, a senior functionary said that most of their healthworkers were not coming to work out of fear. “Once a few cases were detected in the residential quarters, the healthworkers have got scared. Many of them are reluctant to come to work. After many people were detected positive, many were sent to quarantine.”
Family members of those requiring non-Covid care have been making panic calls to doctors to figure out where to take their patients for treatment. Jorasanko MLA Smita Bakshi said she would speak to the health department to resolve the issue. Most of these health facilities are located in containment zones of Burrabazar and Central Avenue. “It is a concerning thing that four big hospitals in the area are either shut or unable to function properly,” said Bakshi.
Marwari Relief Society and Matri Mangal Pratishthan and Eden Hospital have been sealed after patients and medical staff were found Covid-19 positive. At Medical College & Hospital, one of cities biggest hospitals, healthcare facilities have been heavily truncated after several patients, doctors, nurses and other workers tested positive. The OPD is shut while the emergency department is working at almost half its strength.
Absence of transport options has made it difficult for people to ferry patients to medical facilities located at far-off places. “My father had a severe bout of food poisoning on Sunday. But I did not know where to take him because all hospitals in the neighbourhood are shut. I had to take him to a nursing home in Bagbazar in a rickshaw. He is doing well now but I shudder to think what will happen if anybody suffers a fracture or a cardiac arrest,” said Vishnu Agarwal, a resident of Armenian Street.
Even for minor ailments like viral fever and common cold, physicians are not available as all the private clinics are shut. Almost all pharmacies in these pockets have visiting doctors but in the Covid season, most of them are unavailable. “A relative was suffering from fever last week but there was no doctor available in any of the central Kolkataclinics,” said Sarthak Das, a resident of Waterloo Street.
A functionary from Marwari Relief Society said they had no plans to reopen the hospital in the next few days. “Everyday, hundreds come with numerous health related complaints. Most of them are locals so we cannot take any chance,” said the functionary. At Medical College, a senior functionary said that most of their healthworkers were not coming to work out of fear. “Once a few cases were detected in the residential quarters, the healthworkers have got scared. Many of them are reluctant to come to work. After many people were detected positive, many were sent to quarantine.”
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