Shortage of frontline staff, ICU beds a cause for worry

KOCHI: With Covid patients seeking hospital admissions in the district on the rise, many, including private hospitals, are finding it hard to accommodate patients. Shortage of ICU beds and lack of health staff for the treatment of increasing Covid patients are adding to the woes of the health sector. The end result of the shortage of frontline workers like health and paramedical staff could increase the Covid fatalities. 

In the last two weeks, around 20 staff members in one private hospital in Kochi were given off as some among them tested positive and others had to be placed in isolation and quarantine. “Almost 50 health workers including nurses are away due to Covid-19. Those who had interacted closely with the infected staffers also had to go into quarantine. This is a serious situation now.

Though 50 per cent of the beds are set aside for the treatment of Covid patients, there won’t be enough staff members to ensure the treatment to these many persons,” said a doctor at a major hospital in Kochi. In Ernakulam district, as per the official data, over 500 deaths have been recorded. According to experts, these are much less compared to the actual deaths taking place. “Now, numbers have become part of a formality. The second wave is spreading fast and infecting more beyond our calculations. We need to be prepared for the worst. With lack of frontline workers, more people are expected to die because of inadequate care,” said pulmonologist Dr Monu Varghese. 

Even after taking both the vaccine doses, many frontline workers are getting infected with Covid-19. Till Friday, 8,68,650 have been vaccinated in the district. Over one lakh health workers and 78,000 Covid frontline workers took the jab. 

“More than 12 staff members including nurses got infected after taking the jab. The attack of the variants is quite severe. Therefore, we need more hands to join in the fight against Covd-19. Many calls are coming in from relatives and friends of those under treatment in Cherthala and Thodupuzha for admission at major hospitals in Kochi but the situation here is also similar,” said another doctor with a private hospital in Aluva. 

Meanwhile, according to district health officials, 400 nurses were appointed in the health department recently and steps are being taken to appoint more to ease the present stress. Recently, the health department had urged more health workers to join the Covid brigade. Even NGOs and volunteer groups across the state are struggling to get more volunteers as fear has gripped many.

“In this crisis situation, we can use the help of more volunteers in coordinating things, especially with the lockdown. But now since the second wave affects mostly the youngsters, fear has struck many,” said Lalachen, programme coordinator of an NGO based in Kochi.