With cases rising, Shimla's DDU turned into Covid hospital

Tribune News Service

Shimla, April 18

The sharply increasing coronavirus cases have forced the government to re-notify Shimla’s Deen Dayal Upadhyay (DDU) as dedicated Covid care hospital with immediate effect. The OPDs running at the hospital have been shut and the facilities like the issuance of disabilities certificates, medical/fitness certificates, etc, have been shifted to the Indira Gandhi Medical College and Hospital till further orders.

The government has appointed senior orthopedic surgeon Dr Ravinder Mokta as the new Medical Superintendent of the hospital.

To accommodate patients with milder symptoms

There are already close to 100 patients at the IGMC. It can accommodate up to 150 patients. In view of the surge, it was decided to reactivate DDU to accommodate patients with milder symptoms needing oxygen — Dr Surekha Chopra, CMO, Shimla

It was around three months ago when a sharp decline in the cases was witnessed that the hospital was denotified as a Covid care facility. With the state registering more than 1,000 cases everyday for a while now and the Covid facility at the IGMC likely to overwhelmed sooner than later, the hospital has been turned into a Covid care facility. “There are already close to 100 patients at the IGMC. It can accommodate up to 150 patients. In view of the surge, it was decided to reactivate DDU to accommodate patients with milder symptom needing oxygen,” said Shimla CMO Dr Surekha Chopra.

Incidentally, the DDU faced oxygen-related issues last year when the pandemic had hit the peak in November-December. To tide over the crisis, the hospital had increased the number of type D cylinders to over 200 from a meager 36 and subsequently an oxygen plant was announced for the hospital. “From our side, the oxygen plant is ready. The company needs to do some testing. Hopefully, it will be functional within a week,” said Dr Mokta.

Meanwhile, not everyone is happy with government’s decision to reactivate DDU as a Covid facility. “The OPDs at the zonal hospital has a footfall of 1,200-1,500 patients everyday. This hospital caters to people of the districts of Shimla, Kinnaur and even parts of district Solan for almost every aliment. This decision is going to cause a lot of inconvenience to them,” said CPM leader Sanjay Chauhan.