With the Maharashtra government reporting 1,45,961 active cases of Covid-19 in the State on Wednesday with a fatality rate of 3.52 per cent, the doctors and their associations are demanding even higher numbers of trained ICU staff.
The Maharashtra President of the Indian Medical Association, Avinash Bhondwe, told BusinessLine that as the Covid numbers continue to rise, so does the number of ICU admissions. Running an ICU during Covid requires a minimum of one active team each on three shifts, consisting of a physician, intensivist, anaesthesiologist and pulmonologist along with other para-medical staff.
But, in all major hospitals, such trained hands are in short supply. A minimum of 25 per cent more staff is required in all hospitals. The State government must look into this dire need immediately, he said.
Bhondwe, a general physician based out of Pune, said that placing a patient on a ventilator requires the insertion of an endotracheal tube, which delivers oxygen to the lungs. The process of inserting the tube through the mouth is called endotracheal intubation, which requires very skilful handling.
Eminent neurosurgeon and Head of the Department at KEM Hospital, Atul Goel, said the pandemic is an unprecedented situation. There has never been a requirement for such a large number of trained medical and para-medical staff. Oxygen being a major requirement for Covid patients, providing the right amount to the patient is very critical, he added.