DDU hospital as Covid facility opposed

Tribune News Service

Shimla, May 13

The state health authorities’ move to declare the 300-bed Deen Dayal Upadhyay (DDU) district hospital a dedicated Covid hospital has triggered public outcry as patients who suffer injuries and ailments have no other hospital to go to in the heart of the capital city.

Residents living in the periphery of the hospital fear the move could prove to be dangerous for them. They said the DDU hospital was located in the heart of the city and the wholesale grain market and sabji mandi were nearby.

Last year, over 3.5 lakh patients got treatment at the DDU hospital. “We get over 1,000 to 1,200 patients everyday in the OPDs, which has been shut down and we have sealed all entry points to the hospital as per directions of the health authorities,” said medical superintendent Dr Lokinder Sharma.

He said the trained staff of nurses and doctors should be brought from the IGMC if DDU hospital was to be run as a Covid hospital as it was understaffed, unequipped and lacked logistic support to deal with the infection. “Training to handle Covid patients is being provided two hours everyday, but it is not sufficient,” he said.