Hospitals empty out as Covid load shrinks, take up other works

Nagpur: The declining Covid graph has left the three medical colleges in city with less than 50% of patients while several private Covid hospitals have no patient. Even Nagpur Municipal Corporation-run (NMC) hospitals have large number of vacant beds, just three weeks after they were running to capacity.
As of Monday, the city had over 3,000 oxygen, 1,000 ICU, and 200 ventilator beds available. The turnaround has happened in the last couple of weeks. The data suggests many of the 2,860 active patients are in home isolation. Some are in hospitals and some in Covid Care Centres.
At the start of this month, the number of admissions were 15,000 due to which patients were unable to easily find a bed. Fewer cases now has also led to closure of CCCs started by hospitals in association with hotels. Some private hospitals are also downsizing the staff hired for the additional workload.
However, the dramatic change in Covid scenario hasn’t given any respite to staff of medical colleges. GMCH medical superintendent Dr Avinash Gawande said though Covid patients had declined they are occupied with other responsibilities.
Medical colleges are now bracing for a possible third wave besides dealing with increasing black fungus and trauma cases. “There are still over 400 moderate to severe Covid patients who require good care. Mucormycosis cases require multidisciplinary approach and over 100 patients are admitted right now. Trauma patients are also increasing. Our doctors are hardly getting any time to relax,” he said.
Dr Gawande added rush was also increasing in OPDs. “We are also full steam in preparation for third wave. We have 900 beds, so the vacant ones are being cleaned and kept ready,” he said
IGGMCH officials said the college was busy with mucormycosis cases and also general treatment has resumed. “During second wave peak, we restricted to only emergency cases but now other surgeries and procedure have resumed,” they said.
Civic officials said vaccination and Covid testing are keeping them busy at some NMC hospitals.
A private hospital spokesperson said it was a matter of joy that they had to shut the CCC running in collaboration with private hotel. “We had hired the additional healthcare staff on a six month bond. We are accommodating them in our routine hospital duties. Some of the existing staff were asked to do double shifts in CCCs. It is wrong to say we are suddenly downsizing. We knew it wasn’t a long term arrangement,” the spokesperson said, adding they too are now occupied with routine healthcare activities and mucormycosis cases.