Lack of information on Covid sufferers taken to hospitals worries households

Express News Service
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: “It’s been three days since he was taken from our house, we have no official communication on his medical status or the hospital he is admitted to,” lamented a relative (who didn’t need to reveal his identification) of a 75-year-old male Covid affected person hailing from Thiruvananthapuram. “His situation deteriorated on Friday afternoon and we contacted the authorities searching for assist to move him to a hospital. We made the decision round midday and the ambulance got here at 6pm and he was taken away.

Despite making umpteen variety of calls, until this second, we haven’t bought any official communication from anyplace on the place he has been admitted in or what his situation is,” he added. This is the plight of a whole lot of households who’re left at the hours of darkness concerning the medical situation or whereabouts of their family members. Everyday, a whole lot of sufferers are getting transported to hospitals after experiencing discomfort due to Covid.

“On the day he was taken away, we were told that he was being taken to Peroorkada Hospital but when we contacted the hospital, we were told he was not admitted there and migt be admitted at the Medical College Hospital. We contacted the DMO’s office, in the war room number and several other numbers, but failed to get the information,” he stated. The household had to make use of their private contacts to find him. 

“We got a hint that he might be in the MCH and, fortunately, we knew someone working there and we contacted him and came to know that he was in the ICU. We still have no official confirmation. The entire family is under quarantine and it’s really hard as everybody is worried,” the relative added. According to officers on the collectorate conflict room, the helpline numbers are flooded with calls from households of the sufferers searching for data on the sufferers’ medical standing however they’re unable to disclose any data immediately.

In the wake of the rising complaints, the State Mission Director had issued an order directing officers to arrange a assist desk and Covid-19 Jagratha officer to make sure easy communication and knowledge movement to the management rooms. According to officers, as soon as the assistance desk and the officers take cost, the problem could be resolved. “The official in charge will record patient details, status of the patients’ symptoms, treatment given and the health status of the patient on the portal so that it is accessible. Soon, the system would be in place,” the official stated. 

District panchayat president D Suresh Kumar stated that also they are receiving a number of calls from the households.  “The situation is grim and we are going through one of the worst crises ever. The authorities are doing whatever they can and healthcare staff are busy saving lives and stabilising patients who arrive at the hospital with worsened symptoms. Everybody needs to be patient at this time of crisis. We have decided to open help desks at every Covid hospital including the first- and second-line treatment centres to manage the patient details,” stated Suresh.  

Though the authorities declare that the mattress availability in hospitals is up to date actual time on the Covid Jagratha portal, the true image is completely different and the Tambulance drivers need to ferry the sufferers from one hospital to a different to get a mattress. An official of the Peroorkada Hospital stated they’re discovering it tough to replace the portal each 4 hours. “The system is already overwhelmed and we are always busy stabilising patients who often come with severe symptoms. Many of them have breathing issues. It’s not practical to update Covid Jagratha site every four hours. Right now, we have assigned a person who is updating the details along with carrying out several other responsibilities,” stated the official. The official stated that extra employees could be deployed for knowledge entry to handle the disaster.

ANXIOUS ENQUIRIES

According to officers on the collectorate conflict room, the helpline numbers are flooded with calls from households of the sufferers searching for data on the sufferers’ medical standing however they’re unable to disclose any data immediately.

In the wake of the rising complaints, the State Mission Director had issued an order directing officers to arrange a assist desk and Covid-19 Jagratha officer to make sure easy communication and knowledge movement to the management rooms.