At a time when the positive COVID-19 cases are surging in the city, the Chandigarh Administration has decided to shift all positive cases to an exclusive COVID dedicated facility at PGIMER, ignoring the advice of medical experts.
An order issued by UT Home Secretary Arun Kumar Gupta on April 1 stated, “The person who is confirmed COVID positive shall be shifted to exclusive COVID dedicated facility i.e. Nehru Hospital Extension Centre, PGIMER. This is issued with the approval of UT Administrator.”
“All three hospitals i.e. PGIMER, GMCH-32 and GMSH-16 will continue to screen the patients, take the samples of suspected patients and keep the sampled patients in their isolation wards till the receipt of results,” the order stated.
The doctors at PGIMER have however expressed concerns over Administration’s decision stating that transfer of COVID positive patients at this stage poses a risk of bringing them out of effective isolation and putting at risk those involved in transportation and their families.
Currently, there are 14 positive COVID-19 patients admitted in GMCH-32 and two in GMSH-16.
So far, the city has recorded 18 positive COVID-19 patients till Thursday evening. Out of 18 patients from the city, one under treatment at PGIMER has recovered and was discharged on Wednesday.
Apart from this, more than 1300 are put under home quarantine in the city.
Dr Uttam Thakur, president, Association of Resident Doctors (ARD), PGIMER, said, “ We believe the measure to convert NHE, PGIMER as COVID hospital will facilitate the further spread of COVID-19, a scenario that we are attempting at all costs to avoid.
It is better that patients be referred from other hospitals in PGIMER only if they require ventilator support and if the same is not available at the other tertiary care facilities.”
“Two able tertiary care government hospitals (GMCH-32 and GMSH-16) are being absolved of their responsibility toward managing patients in this time of crisis, where the contribution of every healthcare worker is of immense importance,” he said.
“Feasibility of vacant or almost ready other hospitals of UT like the one in Sector 48 to convert it as COVID Hospital should be considered.
Entire medical fraternity with nursing staff can be included for rotational postings,” he added.
Earlier also, the medical fraternity had criticized the Administration for giving relaxations in curfew, defeating the entire purpose of social distancing in the city.
Curfew was imposed in the city on March 24 to ensure social distancing and combat the spread of COVID-19. However, curfew relaxation from 11 am to 3 pm was allowed from March 27 onwards by the UT Administration to facilitate the residents to buy essential items in the city.
When contacted, UT Home-cum-Health Secretary Arun Kumar Gupta said that the decision to shift all the positive COVID-19 patients have been taken by the UT Administrator VP Singh Badnore.
14 positive COVID-19 patients admitted in GMCH-32 and two in GMSH-16 will be shifted to PGIMER on Friday, he said.
When asked whether the UT Administration will reconsider its decision after the advice of PGIMER doctors, Gupta said, it will not be reconsidered.
Giving details of COVID-19 positive cases in Chandigarh, he said that the 26-year-old woman doctor who had returned from London and was tested positive of COVID-19 on March 20 has recovered and discharged from PGIMER. She was tested negative for the disease twice and hence, discharged, he said.
Apart from her, three more patients under treatment have been tested negative and second test will be conducted to check their recovery, he added.