VIRUDHUNAGAR: Delay in the turnaround time for testing, reduced staff strength and a combination of other factors pose a potential risk to the doctors and the patients alike at Government Thiruthangal Hospital, which has exclusively been treating non-Covid-19 maternity-related cases in the district.

Pregnant women nearing their due date are being admitted to the hospital if they test negative for Covid-19; if found infected, they are transferred to Virudhunagar Medical College and Hospital (VMCH). However, sources said that the test results take anywhere between a week to ten days to arrive, by that time the patients give birth and some even discharged. The government hospital in Rajapalayam is also facing similar issues, they added.

Of the 116 samples sent from the Thiruthangal hospital for testing, since June 29, the results of only 48 have arrived so far. Worsening it is the fact that the 60-bedded hospital has only one common ward, catering to all the patients.

‘Covid-19 patient treated in common ward for 9 days’

Speaking to TNIE, a doctor, on a condition of anonymity, said that seven Covid-19 cases have been reported from the hospital so far. “The result of two of the swabs taken on July 1 arrived on Thursday (July 9) as positive. One of the patients had been at the common ward all the nine days, while the other, an outpatient, had gone home,” said the doctor.

Though the patient has been shifted to the VMCH, sources said, there was no room for proper disinfection or contact tracing, as the hospital has no attendee restriction. However, the Municipality officials said that the hospital is being disinfected on a daily basis.

Acute staff shortage

For a hospital treating around 60 mothers and 30-35 newborns, it has only three obstetricians, two anaesthetists, one paediatrician and one medical officer (in-charge). There is no security for the hospital to monitor the attenders and the paediatrician was on call 24x7 during the past week, said sources.

Besides, the recent surge in virus cases in the district could push the hospital staff to their limits, posing a risk of burnout. “We do not know who is a Covid-19 patient unless we get the results. However, we continue to carry out surgeries and treat them, putting ourselves at risk. Even though we wear Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), we are repeatedly exposed. We at least need one more paediatrician", they said.

Lives risked?

The hospital, according to hospital sources, does not have an isolation facility for the patients. With little to no tab on the attenders, contact tracing turns out to be a remote possibility. Also, the sources alleged that the health officials are “inattentive” to their plight, as the hospital is supposed to treat only non-Covid-19 cases.

One of the doctors said, “A single staff member or a single patient testing positive is more than enough for the place to become a Covid-producing factory. The issue is more complicated, as we are dealing with pregnant women and newborns."

Collector R Kannan said that the mobilisation of doctors is underway and as soon as the doctors deputed for duty at Chennai return, things would be sorted out. He also said that utmost care is being provided to pregnant women and children. "The Covid-19 patients will be admitted to the VMCH, only the non-Covid-19 cases will be treated at Thiruthangal", he added.