Thane Mental Hospital’s inmate for 43 years, 1 new patient die of Covid-19

MUMBAI: An 80-year-old woman who was at the Thane Mental Hospital for the past 43 years and a male inmate admitted in February became the first two victims from the institution to succumb to Covid-19 in a week. The deaths have highlighted the unique challenges of infection control in the state’s four mental health institutions, where most patients are incapable of understanding social distancing and hygiene norms.
The four institutions in Thane, Pune, Nagpur and Ratnagiri together have more than 2,500 in-patients. Apart from the recent deaths in the Thane hospital, one inmate from the Regional Mental Hospital, Yerwada, has tested positive and was critically ill until a few days ago. The hospitals in Nagpur and Ratnagiri have not seen any infections thus far. Thane and Pune hospitals have seen infections in about 15 staffers each.
The octogenarian could never be reunited with her family as her identity was unknown till the end, said hospital authorities. She was admitted to Global Hub Hospital in Thane after she developed breathlessness and died on July 26. The 48-year-old male patients was suspected of Covid after he collapsed in the ward. He was admitted to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Hospital, Kalwa, on July 16, where he was detected with pneumonia. He died on July 21. “Both of them were intellectually disabled. The woman developed complications due to her age. She was here for over four decades and was like family. The male patient was here since February,” said Dr Sanjay Bodade, superintendent, Thane Mental Hospital.
After the two patients tested positive, the hospital authorities are faced with one of their biggest challenges. “None of the Covid hospitals wanted to admit our patients as they are not self-sufficient. We had to send our staffers to stay with them,” said director Dr Sadhana Tayade of the Directorate of Health Services (DHS), Maharashtra. Well aware of how the infection could rapidly spread even if one inmate was infected, Dr Tayade said they have been trying to impose protocols. “It’s easier said than done though. Many can’t carry out their own hygiene tasks while some refuse to be dressed. How will you explain to them that they need to wear a mask? If we put soap on their hands, some try to chew on it,” said Dr Tayade. Yet, she said, staffers have been trying to ensure they wash hands every half hour. “We have been fortunate to restrict the infection to only three,” she said, adding there are also daily temperature and oxygen level checks. Thane hospital has also created two rooms for inmates who show any symptoms.
For staffers and new patients, more stringent protocols have been put in place. In Thane, where 14 employees have tested positive and one female employee died last month, the authorities have made arrangements to accommodate them on campus. “They are not allowed in without temperature checks and sent back even if they have mildest of symptoms,” said Dr Tayade.
All these hospitals have also created a holding ward for new admissions. “A new patient who comes with a Covid-negative report is quarantined for seven days while one who doesn’t have a report is kept there for two weeks,” said Dr Abhijeet Phadnis, medical superintendent of Yerwada hospital, adding while admissions have declined 30-40%, OPD services have been resumed with minimal staff.