Covid patient shift delay raises hackles - Siliguri woman remains in CCU for several hours

SNS, SLIGUR1, 16 JUNE 20: The health department was today accused of delaying the shifting of a Covid-19 patient from the Siliguri District Hospital. A 29 year-old resident of Tikia Para had been admitted in the hospital on 11 June. She had given birth to a child on 12 June, but the infant died and she was shifted to the CCU at the hospital after her condition deteriorated. Her throat swab was collected for tests on 13 June and she was tested positive for Covid -19 yesterday. Meanwhile, a 65-year-old patient of Darjeeling, who had been staying in Siliguri, died in the CCU last night. His swabs have been collected for tests.

The delay in shifting the young woman to the dedicated hospital for Covid patients sparked anger among a section of nurses and health workers in the hospital. Voluntary organisations associated with the health movement in Siliguri expressed deep anguish over the issue.

The hospital authorities, however, said they had followed the rules, but that the process of sending the patient to the dedicated hospital was not in their hands.

Following the development, around 25 hospital staff, including five doctors and nursing staff, have been quarantined.

A senior nursing staff of the hospital said that though they had been given adequate PPEs, they were not happy about the delay.

"Her test results arrived yesterday, and as soon as the information was received, she was segregated from the other patients. But there was a delay in shifting her to the dedicated hospital," the nurse said.

The medical superintendent of the hospital, Dr Amitava Mondal, said they had tested as per the health department guidelines. Dr Mondal, however, said the patient was shifted to the Desun Hospital this morning.

"We received the test reports at 9 pm yesterday and sent the patient to the hospital at 10 am today," he said, Sources, however, said the patient was shifted only after 12 pm.

According to health experts, if the patient was shifted at 10 am, it could not be called an "early step." They said that the Covid patient sharing the same ward for a long time with others could increase the possibility of infecting others. There are around seven more patients in the CCU.

The Siliguri Welfare Organisation strongly condemned the incident. Its president, Polak Ganguly, working president Abhijit Majumder and other members met Dr Mondal. 

We are shocked with the lackadaisical attitude of the health department.The hospital authorities said they did not have the dedicated vehicle to shift the positive patient. The swab samples will not be collected from other patients admitted at the CCU until they develop symptoms." We strongly condemn such a casual approach of the health department." Mr Ganguly said.

Meanwhile, a day after Siliguri reported 20 cases in a single day, the civic body area today saw a drop in the number of Covid-19 cases.  A lone case was detected in Ward 46, sources said.  

However, on the other hand, two employees at the North Bengal Medical College were found positive today.

Administration to regulate markets

In view of the rising number of Covid cases in Siliguri, the Darjeeling distnct administration is set to regulate markets to stop the spread of the virus. The administration has observed Wards 2, 18,28 and 46 as vulnerable. District magistrate S Ponnambalam, who addressed a district-level task force meeting today, said the administration had prepared a plan to deal with the situation. As part of it, focus will be laid on various markets located in the wards.

"The Nivedita Market in Ward 18 will be closed for seven days," Mr Ponnambalam said.

"Closure of the markets is no permanent solution. We are making efforts to ensure that the markets are open, but in some cases,shifting them at more open spaces and taking preventive steps could also help," he said.

Six in home isolation cured

A doctor, two nursing staff, two accredited social health activists and a housewife, among the eight undergoing Covid-19 treatment in home isolation in Siliguri, have been cured, health department officials said.

10 more in Malda

In Malda, 10 more samples tested positive for the virus last night, taking the number of affected persons in the district to 325. Sources said five of the fresh cases are from Chanchal, three from Kaliachak and two from Harishchandrapur.

S Dinajpur seeks to set up test lab

In South Dinajpur, the Covid taskforce has decided to send a proposal for an RTPCR lab in the district. In a meeting at the district administration building this morning, the district magistrate and other officials and officials of the health department agreed to send such a proposal to the state health ministry.

The Real Time Reverse Transcription -polymerase chain reaction (real time RT PCR) is one of the most accurate laboratory methods for detecting, tracking and studying the novel coronavirus, experts have said.

The health department here has to wait for 10 to 14 days for a test report to come from Malda and Siliguri.

"The taskforce has decided to send proposal for RTPCR lab in the district.We are preparing the documents and will send the proposal tomorrow and seek suggestions from the health department. We will start arranging for the infrastructure after the instructions," the Chief Medical Officer of Health. Dr Sukumar Dey, said.