Srinagar 16 (KNB): Doctors Association Kashmir (DAK) on Friday said more intensive care unit (ICU) beds are needed to save severely-ill Covid-19 patients.
“We need to increase the number of ICU beds in hospitals to prevent corona deaths,” said DAK President and influenza expert Dr Nisar ul Hassan.
“Hospitals in Kashmir are witnessing an increase in admissions of severe and critically ill Covid-19 patients over the past two weeks. And many of them need intensive care and/or ventilator support,” he said.
“At SMHS hospital, we receive 20-30 severe cases every day, and many of them are critical. They come in with ravaged lungs and oxygen levels as low as 50-60. They need ICU beds.”
“But they don’t get it because all ICU beds are occupied,” the DAK President said, “The situation is the same in other hospitals where patients are struggling to get ICU beds.”
“With the resurgence of Covid-19, hospitals have run out of ICU beds,” he said.
He further said that “Lack of ICU beds is turning into a nightmare, with critically ill patients kept in general wards on regular beds.”
Dr Nisar said that early transfer of severe cases to intensive care is key to help improve the outcome of Corona patients. “How fast intensive care is given to them determines whether they survive or not,” he added.
“The constant surge in cases has meant that demand for ICU beds for Covid patients has increased,” DAK President said, “Every day we have over a thousand new cases of Covid-19 infections. About 3% of them get critically sick and require intensive care.”
He further said that the next few weeks could be challenging as cases are expected to rise further because enough people are still susceptible to the virus.
“The situation can be kept under control if vaccines are opened up for more people and Covid-19 protocols are strictly adhered to,” Dr Nisar said. (KNB)