The Only Government Hospital in the Region With ICU of 66 Ventilators
Rajindra Hospital Taking Care of More than Half of the Districts of Punjab-Surabhi Malik
Rajnish Sareen
Patiala, August 24, 2020: Mrs. Surabhi Malik, Covid Care Incharge, Tertiary Care, Government Rajindra Hospital, Patiala said that the cure rate of COVID patients admitted in Government Rajindra Hospital is 61percent and now it was increasing steadily.
During her Facebook Live program under Mission Fateh today to apprise the people of the steps being taken for the treatment of COVID-19 patients at Rajindra Hospital and answering the queries of the people about Rajindra Hospital, she said that
all the staff including doctors, nurses and para medical, class four are on round the clock duty for the care and better treatment of every patient admitted in Rajindra Hospital.
Mrs. Surbhi Malik further informed that the facility of 600 beds is available at Covid Care established at Rajindra Hospital. Out of which there are 512 beds equipped with oxygen facility for mild-symptomatic patients (level-2) cases and the remaining 88 ICU beds with 66 ventilators which are being increased to 88 in next days. She said that COVID ICU has two dedicated Dialysis Machines, Portable X-ray Machines, Portable Ultrasound Machines, Blood Clotting Test facility to check for thrombosis.
Responding to a query from a Facebook user named Rimpy about the care of patients at Rajindra Hospital, Mrs. Surabhi Malik elaborated that treatment of COVID patients is being by taking all the necessary tests of positive or suspicious patients at the time of admission. She said that although there is no vaccination for COVID but patient is being treated according to the latest scientific information based on the basic care of the patients and the symptoms of the patient.
Replying to a query by Shashank Singh about the non-reduction in the death rate at Rajindra Hospital, Mrs. Surabhi malik categorically said that previous day's reports of 25 deaths in 24 hours was misquoted. Rebutting the panic, she said that the number of deaths in a day is counted from 12 noon to next day 12 noon, thus 11 deaths occurred on August 21 and 14 deaths on the 22nd.
She said that it was misquoted that there were 25 deaths in Patiala in one day for which time was taken from 5 pm to 5 pm, but she wanted to make it clear that Government Rajindra Hospital is a treasury care center and receiving critically ill patients. These patients are admitted not only from Patiala but also from other 10 to 11 districts of the state. She said that deaths in Rajindra Hospital were not only belong to Patiala district but also to other districts.
Mrs. Surabhi Malik said that Punjab has a mortality rate of 2.58 while Patiala has a mortality rate of 2.48 which is less by adding that if we look at these figures then death rate is only 3 for 15 critically ill patients at Rajindra Hospital. She said that with the increase in sampling and testing, this mortality rate would also be less than the national average.
She appealed to the people to get their tests done as soon as the slightest symptoms appear, this is what can reduce our mortality rate.
Ms. Surabhi Malik said that 99 percent of the deaths at Rajindra Hospital were of critically ill patients who were already suffering from some other ailment (Co-morbid Patients). We have 60 per cent deaths in the first 48 hours of admission and 70 per cent in 72 hours, indicating that the patients who come to us are in a critical condition. "If we want to reduce the death rate, we have to go to the hospital as soon as symptoms of CIVID develop," she said.
When asked by another user about the non-availability of doctors to COVID patients, Mrs. Malik said that it was not so as a monitoring system had been set up in this regard. Even 10 patients are randony called by DC Office daily to check whether the doctors have visited to them or not. She said when patients were feeling restless due to this new disease then they fail to recognise in PPE kits, whether the visiting person is doctor or nurse or attendent. She said that there are three shifts of 8-8 hours and doctors must visit the patients in their shifts. We also counsel the patient to reduce anxiety so that the patient does not have any discomfort.
Asking upon when a patient is declared dead after being placed on a ventilator, she clarified that only after the clinical death of the patient, it has been declared dead by the doctors.
Responding a query about the death of a photojournalist Jaideep, Surabhi Malik said that the patient has low SpO2 at the time of admission and was kept on a ventilator for 2-3 days. He was given all possible medical help but he had a pulmonary embolism, which led to his death.
When asked by Harish Miglani about the rumors of removing of body parts of CORONA patients, Mrs. Surabhi Malik strongly denied that it is a an offense and Rajindra Hospital has a very senior medical faculty, so such rumors should not be believed.
Asked by Abhimanyu Goyal and Ashwani Agarwal about the high death rate due to admission of critically ill patients in Rajindra Hospital, she said it was true that the death rate was high due to the influx of critically ill patients from many districts. The doctors try their best to get the patients back from critical situation. She also shared the information that Rajindra Hospital had recently cured three such patients who were on ventilators.
When asked by Gagan Chopra about plasma therapy, Mrs. Surabhi Malik said that Hospital has 12 units of plasma at present and one patient is recovering with this therapy but this therapy is used by the doctors after looking at all the aspects. Asked by Dhaliwal Arash about the preparation of food for the patients at Rajindra Hospital, she said that the food is prepared at Patiala Club and this nutritious food is given to the patients only after checking by the nutritionists.
When asked by Nand Lal Raheja about shifting the patient to a private hospital, Mrs. Surabhi Malik said that on receipt of the application by the Civil Surgeon's Office, the patient is shifted to another hospital but as per the advice of the doctors. The patient cannot be sent home. When asked by Nitin Kumar about COVID sampling at Rajindra Hospital, she said that samples are taken here from 8 am to 2 pm.
Similarly when asked by Rajput Kashyap about the salaries of the nursing staff, Ms. Surbhi said that the salaries have been paid till the month of July and they are being paid regularly and accommodation facility is also available for the nursing staff coming from far away. On asking upon by Rahul Markande about allowing patients to carry smartphones, she said there was no such prohibition on patients and they could bring phones or tablets for their entertainment but advised patients for must wearing oxygen masks and should not take off the oxygen mask while talking on the phone.