IGMC docs under stress as most dialysis centres shut
Tribune News Service
Shimla, May 13
The corona patients who need dialysis are having a tough time at the moment. Most dialysis facilities in the state are refusing admission to them, fearing the spread of infection to other patients and healthcare workers giving the treatment. As a result, such patients are rushing to the Indira Gandhi Medical College and Hospital from even faraway places in Mandi, Hamirpur and Kangra.
While the situation is difficult for the patients, it’s equally stressful for healthcare workers managing the increased number of patients at the IGMC. “We are doing the dialysis of up to six corona patients in a day these days, apart from the routine dialysis patients,” said Dr Ashish from the nephrology department.
“And since dialysis is a technical process and it involves four to six months of training you can’t even increase the manpower at a short notice,” he said.
IGMC principal Rajnish Pathania said the nephrology department was hard-pressed at the moment. “They are handling both Covid and routine patients, which is putting a lot of pressure on them. It’s difficult to get additional staff, too, at the moment. They had tried to rope in dialysis technicians who had done their training from here, but they all refused the offer out of fear,” said Pathania.
Besides, he said most dialysis centres running on PPP mode in district hospitals were not providing dialysis service to the Covid patients. “While many of these centres have shut down since the corona outbreak, many others are not providing service,” said Pathania.
“The risk is there but it’s not that it can’t be managed. These centres should keep a separate slot for corona patients,” he said.
The other problem the hospital faces with Covid patients needing dialysis is that they can’t be discharged before they turn negative. Hence, they end up occupying the bed in the Covid ward for a longer duration. “Until they have a negative corona report, no other dialysis centre will entertain them. So, we have to wait for them to turn negative before discharging them,” said Pathania.
