Oxygen supply points have been provided in toilets of Government Rajaji Hospital’s (GRH) COVID-19 speciality wing to ensure seamless oxygen support for mild and asymptomatic patients even when they are inside the toilets.
GRH Dean J. Sangumani said that patients with severe and moderate COVID-19 disease were asked to use bedpans or diapers and were barred from using the toilets. “Only mild or asymptomatic patients are allowed to use the toilets,” he said.
Since, COVID-19 disease affects the oxygen saturation levels, it was highly important to ensure that the levels were constantly maintained. “There are chances that oxygen levels of mild or moderate patients might go down when they are inside the toilets. Hence, oxygen supply is being provided at the entrance and inside the toilets to support the patients in case they suffer from breathlessness,” he said.
The Treatment Coordinator of the COVID-19 speciality ward K. Senthil said that COVID-19 caused ‘silent hypoxia’, where the oxygen saturation levels of a patient might be lower, even when they do not display any signs of breathlessness. “There have been instances of mild and asymptomatic patients suffering from breathlessness when they use the toilets in the early morning hours, especially between 2 a.m. and 6 a.m. Hence, the oxygen support is being provided to avoid such instances,” he said.
Dr. Sangumani said that all measures are being taken to avoid deaths caused due to COVID-19. He also said that most of the patients in the hospital required oxygen support. Currently, there are 850 beds with functional oxygen supply, added the Dean.
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