Relatives to get access to Covid patient data - Chief secretary Rajiva Sinha said 96 doctors of the health department were monitoring all admitted Covid patients 24x7 under the CCPMS

Workers busy setting up few rooms of Geetanjali Stadium, which have been converted into a Covid-19 care centre for patients showing mild symptoms, during Unlock 3.0, in Calcutta, Monday, Aug 3, 2020.

Pranesh Sarkar   |   TT  |   Calcutta   |   07.08.20  :  The Bengal government has decided to upload health parameters of all hospitalised Covid-19 patients on a website and make the same available to relatives in an apparent bid to scotch charges that families are kept in dark about the condition of the admitted positive persons.

The details will be uploaded on the website of the state health department and the public can get to know overall particulars like the number of critical patients and those in ICUs. “We have already started maintaining the records of coronavirus patients admitted to both government and private hospitals and monitoring their condition under the Critical Covid Patient Management System (CCPMS ) that was launched on August 1. Details of the patients’ condition will be uploaded on the health department’s website within two weeks,” said a senior state government official. 

“A mechanism will be developed so that only relatives can access the health parameters of patients. Common people will be able to know the overall condition like, how many are critical or the number of patients on the life support system,” added the official. 

The move — assumed to be the first in the country — was initiated purportedly to counter allegations that relatives were not informed of the health details of the patients admitted to Covid hospitals.

At a news conference at Nabanna after a cabinet meeting on Thursday, chief secretary Rajiva Sinha said 96 doctors of the health department were monitoring all admitted Covid patients 24x7 under the CCPMS.

“All health parameters, including oxygen saturation level, pulse rate, blood sugar, functioning of different body parts, are being shared by hospitals at regular intervals. A team of doctors is monitoring reports of each patient and suggesting next course of action,” said an official.

Sources said the government was forced to take the step to bring details of each hospitalised patient to the public domain as pressure was mounting on the authorities amid complaints that death toll was rising because of improper treatment.

The CCPMS was introduced in the state with an aim to bring down the number of deaths after the authorities found that the allegation of neglecting Covid patients were true at some hospitals. 

The sources said the CCPMS would ensure that hospitals were on their toes to provide proper treatment to the patients as they would be under scanner all the time.

“If a patient dies because of low oxygen saturation, the hospital would be liable to say whether he/she was put on oxygen support. As everything would be made public, all hospitals would be under pressure,” said a source.

The top brass of the government was hopeful that the step would help them in making public aware that patients with comorbidities were vulnerable to the coronavirus. 

“The health parameters will make it clear which patients are more critical. This would erase misconceptions,” said an official.

The state government is also laying stress on putting several other facilities in place so that people don’t panic about the pandemic. 

Besides arranging ambulances for the patients who are calling up the helpline (1800 313 444 222), the government is also making arrangements for hospitalisation of the patients. 

“We have arranged ambulances for 54,571 patients since July. We have admitted 72,158 patients to the hospitals during the same period,” said the chief secretary.

He also said people were being helped through telemedicine helpline. A total of 42,584 people have secured consultation from the service. “All these assure people that there is somebody to help in case of an emergency. Our target is to ensure that people don’t panic,” said an official. 

On Thursday, the state cabinet approved recruitment of 500 house staff to government hospitals. 

Besides, the government allowed the Calcutta Municipal Corporation to recruit 53 doctors and 18 medical technicians through walk in interviews.