GMCH Amritsar jam-packed, new patients being admitted to charitable hospital
The district has witnessed a hike of 1,857% in Covid-19 cases in just a week with its tally jumping to 274 cases till Thursday.
With Punjab’s new Covid-19 hotspot, Amritsar, witnessing sudden spike in the number of cases daily, and the Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) here getting jam-packed with infected patients, the health department has started admitting new patients to the Sri Guru Ram Dass (SGRD) Charitable Hospital in the city.
Till Thursday, 242 patients from Amritsar and neighbouring districts were admitted to GMCH, which has the maximum capacity to accommodate 300 patients in its isolation ward. The charitable hospital has the capacity to quarantine 150 patients.
“The GMCH is running out of beds some of which have been reserved to treat serious Covid-19 patients who may need emergency shifting from other hospitals from in and around Amritsar. The government has acquired 150-bedded SGRD Charitable Hospital and is paying the expenses. The asymptomatic and stable patients are now being treated there ,” said Amritsar civil surgeon Dr Jugal Kishore.
“We can admit Covid-19 patients to our full capacity as we have enough resources, including ventilators, for providing treatment,” said GMCH principal Dr Sujata Sharma.
“Fifty seven Covid-19 patients are admitted to SGRD Charitable Hospital. The patients are getting treatment from specialist doctors and are stable. The hospital has been converted into a full-fledged Covid facility in the wake of the rising number of cases. We have 10 ventilators which can be used for Covid-19 patients in case of emergency. The patients suffering from other disease instead of Covid-19 have been shifted to SGRD, Vallah,” said Dr AP Singh, dean, Sri Guru Ram Das University of Health Sciences.
“Besides, the School for Meritorious Students, Amritsar, has also been converted into a Covid facility with the capacity of 1,000 beds which are kept for asymptomatic and stable patients. In case of emergency also, patients can be admitted to the facility as doctors and adequate nurses would be appointed.”
The district has witnessed a hike of 1,857% in Covid-19 cases in just a week with its tally jumping to 274 cases till Thursday.