Hospitals that were selected for treating the coronavirus patients have already gone beyond their capacities to provide further patients’ care as infection rates swelling across the country.
Dr Mahabubur Rahamn, focal person of Mugda Medical College Hospital Corona Committee informed that, they have capacity of 250 beds, which already filled up. Now they are trying to add another 50 bed capacity which will take time.
According to Kurmitola General Hospital control room information, they also have 250 beds capacity, which is also close to fill up. Everyday new patients are referring to their hospital while few also left after recovering.
At the same time, their inability to provide proper treatment and sample testing may result in the further spread of the pandemic.
Despite the positive coronavirus symptoms, patients are not getting treatment in the respective hospitals. Helpless patients are facing great ordeal at every step, rushing from one hospital to another to get some medical treatment. But the desired services are becoming a rarity for them. As a result, the virus infection is spreading in the community.
Md Dewolar, from Narayanganj, was admitted to Dhaka Medical College Hospital’s isolation unit on April 25. Later, doctors found his result corona positive and referred to Mugda General Hospital (MGH) on April 29.
His sufferings began when an ambulance dropped him at MGH. The hospital authority did not accept the patient and even did not give any advice as it’s already out of capacity. Waiting for hours later he went to his home Narayanganj.
It is learned that a government doctor tested positive for Covid-19 on April 13. He was immediately admitted to Kurmitola General Hospital. To be sure, he was free from the virus infection, he again tested sample on April 21, and after two days the result came negative. As per the system, he again tested sample on April 25, but this time result came positive.
However, no one is able to give any proper statement regarding this mismanagement.
Millatul Islam, advisor for waste management of Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC), has died with coronavirus symptoms on April 23, but due to IEDCR’s insufficient service capacity it needed two days to know the test result for positive with COVID-19, confirmed his son to journalists.
Patients, who have recovered from these hospitals, have also vented their limitless sufferings while getting treatment at these facilities. They informed that, they were unable to get sufficient help from doctors, nurses, and other staffers.
Senior reporter of Jamuna Television Sahadat Hossain and videographer of Independent Television Ashiqur Rahman, have shared their experiences while getting treatment at COVID-19 hospitals.
As per their opinions, they were so ignored that, it was too hard for them to find doctors. Even staffers provide them medicines and food items irregularly.
Despite government’s repeated attempts for more testing, due to insufficient services of the Institute of Epidemiology Disease Control and Research (IEDCR) both COVID-19 patients and suspects are suffering in every step from getting treatment to recovering.
Even due to lack of adequate manpower at IEDCR, results of samples tested cannot be provided by the state-owned agencies as per scheduled time. However, the health authorities are now testing 4,000 samples per day, which will gradually reach 10,000, said DGHS Additional Director General Nasima Sultana in an online briefing.
IEDCR director Meerjady Sabrina Flora told The Bangladesh Post that, there were pressure of too many people seeking help at the same time. However, authorities are now increasing manpower to cope with the situation.
There are 2,000 beds at the Bashundhara Convention Center, 1,300 at the DNCC Market and 1200 at Uttara Diabari which are now fully ready. Besides, 601 more institutions in districts and upazilas, including the capital, are ready for use as corona isolation centres within few days, said health minister Zahid Maleque on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, the deadly Covid-19 pandemic continues to increase fatalities in the country. Till filing this report on Sunday, 177 people have died from this deadly virus, and the total number of infections stands at 9455.
At the same day, the country has recorded the highest number of infected patients 665.