NAGPUR: Facing acute shortage of medical oxygen and every day challenges in getting crucial drugs, private hospitals raised an alarm on Thursday, informing relatives of Covid patients that they won’t be able to guarantee treatment if stocks are exhausted.
Vidarbha Hospitals Association (VHA) convener Dr Anup Marar said the intention behind alerting relatives, through consent forms in some cases, is to ensure relatives don’t turn violent or vent their ire on the hospital.
On March 26, a couple of hospitals had discharged Covid patients while some had told relatives to shift patients after they ran out of oxygen. The district administration had intervened to ensure oxygen and Remdesivir supply continue. Yet, the same problem took a serious turn on Thursday with some hospitals stopping admissions amid bed crisis.
KRIMS Hospital director Dr Ashok Arbat said they have run out of Remdesivir and oxygen for admitted patients. “On Friday, we may not have any option but to ask relatives to shift their patients. There is no support from the administration in arranging the crucial life saving drug and gas,” he said.
Kunal Hospital director Dr Shishir Shrivastav said there is acute shortage of essential drugs like Remdesivir, Tocilizumab, ad Itolizumab. “Other essential drugs like low molecular weight heparin, methyl prednisolone, favipiravir and doxycycline are also getting difficult to procure. Also, there is a constant fear in our minds regarding oxygen supply,” he said.
Dr Shrivastav added, “We hope no catastrophic event takes place on our premises. If the situation does not come under control soon, then it may become difficult for private set ups to continue amid severe shortages and charged emotions of public.”
“Why is public taking out its frustration about lack of beds, oxygen, remdesivir and tocilizumab on private hospitals? How can hospitals be held responsible? People should contact NMC and district collector control rooms for these issues. If violence continues, many private hospitals will close down their Covid admissions as they are unnecessarily facing flak,” Dr Marar said.
Amit Somani, director of Kingsway Hospitals, said so far they haven’t asked any patient’s relative for consent form but admitted that they have started facing problems in maintaining Covid patients.
“We have highlighted all this at different levels in the government and local administration. They are making efforts but results are yet to be seen. We have an acute shortage of remdesivir, which is very serious as we have 250 patients admitted and our per day consumption is 180 to 200 vials. We are also 50% dependent on industrial oxygen supply as our own O2 plant is facing problems since Thursday evening. Oxygen has become a serious issue because of more O2 beds being set up everywhere, which is the need of the hour,” he said, adding the government needs to ensure supply of remdesivir and oxygen.