As PGI faces shortage of beds, Punjab, Haryana agree for back referrals of non-Covid patients

PGI director Jagat Ram said that all medical representatives had a meeting in which Punjab and Haryana have agreed for back referrals.

“Those patients who have been referred to PGI for treatment of other ailments too will be sent back once they show signs of recovery. That is the only way to enhance space for COVID patients as we are already running short,” he said, adding that Directors Health Services from Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh attended the meeting.

Other than 155 COVID patients, there are 1,300 beds that are occupied in the emergency block of PGI by non-COVID patients. Doctors said that these are those patients that required urgent admission for other surgeries or emergencies.

“We can’t close the emergency block because there are around 1,280 non-COVID patients who require other emergency medical help. So, those who are showing signs of recovery or are in the recovery stage will be sent back to the hospital from where they were referred and care will be taken at that level. Both Punjab and Haryana have agreed for it,” the doctor said.

PGIMER short of ventilators

Dr Jagat Ram said that PGI is procuring more ventilators. He said that there are around 20 COVID patients who are using the ventilators now and they have to balance it out from other departments.

There are around 200 ventilators in all out of which about 180 non-COVID patients are on ventilator support and 20 others are being used by COVID patients.

“As the need for ventilators is arising, we are trying to balance them out with the help of other departments like between those patients who are stabilising and those who are requiring ventilator support. Every day the need for ventilator support is arising by COVID patients here,” he said.

MP Kher tweets, asks for help, Congress slams her

When an institute like PGI is expressing helplessness in providing sufficient number of critical care beds, MP Kirron Kher tweeted for help. She tweeted, “Help my city PGI and other hospitals are under immense pressure. If medical facilities are not allowed in various parts of the city, there will be fatalities due to non beds. I urge administration to take necessary action.”

Congress councillor Devinder Singh Babla said that when cases in Chandigarh were already seeing a surge, where was the MP?

“It is now that she is seeking help…did she help the city when people were left to their fate. People of Chandigarh have been struggling and now she is asking for help for residents. She has been completely missing in action when city people required her the most,” Babla said.

He added, “She should have been sitting in the war room meetings with officials to decide on the next course of action.”