Cases of coronavirus infection are rampant in these past few weeks. The number of corona-infected patients is increasing daily in Bhaktapur.
Chief of District Health Office Bhaktapur, Krishna Mizar, said that the Ministry of Health and Population of the Government of Nepal has given a notice to hospitals in the district to start managing resources to deal with the influx of corona-infected patients.
Mizar said that although the number of corona-infected people is increasing every day by count of three-four people, hospitals in Bhaktapur have not increased the resources for treatment services, such as, ICU, CCU, oxygen plant, setting up a separate help desk, and building a corona unit.
The Hospitals are identifying corona-infected patients mostly when patients with high fevers visit the hospitals for a checkup. There is a possibility of an increase in the number of patients who do not come to the hospital
He said, “The government of Nepal has instructed the hospitals to be prepared for the treatment of corona-infected patients. We will start monitoring the hospital after 20th April.”
He informed me that 17 people are currently infected with the coronavirus in different hospitals in Bhaktapur. Four of them are being treated in Bhaktapur Hospital. He said that other patients are in isolation at home.
Bhaktapur Hospital said that although they haven’t prepared as much as in the previous surge of corona cases, they are still treating patients. Bhaktapur Hospital Medical Superintendent Dr. Sumitra Gautam said, “If there is a situation where we need to admit patients due to an increase in corona infection, we can prepare immediately, but now we have a separate structure for that.”
She said that the 16-bed ICU, built during the Corona epidemic, is still functioning, as there are no Corona-infected patients who require ICU service, and the hospital is treating other patients in the ICU.
Shahid Gangalal Human Organ Transplantation Center and Bhaktapur Cancer Hospital in the district have not made any preparations. Executive Director of the Center, Dr. Pukarchandra Shrestha, said that he has not made any preparations at the moment, but will do if necessary.
According to Mizar out of the four municipalities in the district, Khwop Hospital, operated by Bhaktapur Municipality, Suryavinayak Nagar Hospital, operated by Suryabinayak Municipality, Changunarayan Hospital, operated by Changunarayan Municipality, and Nepal Korea Friendly Hospital, operated by Madhyapur Municipality, none of the hospitals are prepared to treat corona patients.
According to him, private hospitals including Siddhismriti Children’s and Women’s Hospital, Madhyapur Hospital, Ewamura Memorial Hospital, Citizen Community Hospital, Arogya Hospital, Bhaktapur International Hospital, and Summit Hospital have not made any preparations. The ICU, ventilator, and oxygen plant, operated under the government budget during the corona pandemic in these hospitals have been shut down.