Amanur Aman WITH Mythos Aman/

Slowly, but truly Covid-19 dedicated 250-bed Kushtia General Hospital is losing its ability of treating corona patients. Death is taking place with about an interval of one and a half hours there. At the same time, innumerable corona-affected people are scurrying very close to death. Unhappy doctors say it is what a truly helpless situation; out of their control.

On Wednesday, this correspondent observed the whole situation of the hospital for about half an hour. Talked to the hospital authorities.

According to hospital sources, 19 people have died of corona and corona symptoms in the last 24 hours.

Hospital sources said 252 corona-infected patients were being treated there till Wednesday morning. The hospital does not have the capacity to treat such a large number of patients, told Tapos Kumar Sarkar, the hospital's resident medical officer (RMO).

He told that they were not being able to support many patients. The kind of treatment that patients need is not being provided here. According to his calculations, most of the 252 patients were in need of oxygen. And oxygen saturation of around hundreds of the patients were 45 to 60 percent.

The RMO said the hospital has one C-PAP, one B-PAP, four ICUs and twenty-four HDU beds. These HDU 24 beds are mainly used to treat complex patients where high flow nasal cannula and other modern equipments are used. While other patients are being treated in a normal bed with either central oxygen services or oxygen in a cylinder. There is central oxygen supply in 64 beds. It is possible to give high flow oxygen to 22 people.

“Everyone with a saturation of 45 to 60 per cent needs to be given high flow oxygen but it was not being possible here. As a result, they were being treated with either Central Oxygen Service or cylinder oxygen,” said Tapos Kumar Sarkar.

He said about 500 oxygen cylinders are needed every day. The hospital has 647 cylinders. There is also six thousand liters of central oxygen where 10 people are given 24 hours oxygen support.

Talking to many doctors on duty at the hospital, they said that they are to deal with the difficult situation.

Assistant Professor of Kushtia Medical College Akramuzzaman Mintu told that all the patients who have been coming for the last seven-eight days coming with Delta variant.

They come to the hospital after spending 7/8 days home isolation when their situation becomes fatal. They are brought to the hospital at last moment. Until then, doctors have nothing to do as most patient’s oxygen levels goes below 60.

He said the mortality rates of these type of patients are high. In addition, most of these patients suffer from diabetes, heart problems, asthma, hypertension, high blood pressure and liver disease. Despite heart and soul attempts, it is not possible to keep them alive.

Doctor Rajiv Maitra is working in Corona unit at the hospital. He said there are more than hundred patients whose saturation is below 80 per cent. They need to be given high levels of oxygen. But the hospital can't afford it.

Dewan Rashiduzzaman brought his wife to the hospital last Sunday. He did not get any bed. He took place in the corridors of the hospital. He is next to his wife all the time.

Saturation of his wife Ulka Thatun 70; Oxygen was running. She has diabetes.

Rashiduzzaman told that after being infected, the government Daulatpur Health Complex advised to keep his wife in home isolation. Seeing her condition critical, at Home Isolation, he brought her directly to this hospital. He said now the doctor says the condition is bad.

Going to the spot, it is seen that there is no place anywhere to set foot due to the over crowd of patients in the hospital. There is even no social distance within the hospital. The relatives of the patient were seen sitting or lying next to the patient.

There is a shortage of manpower and space. Doctors, nurses, nurses and all concerned were seen struggling to provide their services.

Abdul Momen, the Deputy Director (hospital's caretaker) told that the patient's pressure was increasing in every moment. About 40-50 new patients were being admitted every day. But less than half of the admitted patients were being released getting free from the virus. Due to this, the patient was getting dumped. He said the health ministry had provided some more medical equipment. Those were on the way.

Businessman also Finance Affairs Secretary of Kushtia district Awami League Rotarian Ajoy Sureka who has been working for Covid-19 since its inception told that pressure of patients at the hospital is much than its capability. "We are assisting many ways to the hospital authority so that it can can be able to cope the situation," Ajoy said.

He said in instruction of Mahbubul Alam Hanif, lawmaker of Kushtia-3 also president of the hospital management committee, a number of people and organisation involved in social works have extended their cooperation to increase capacity of the hospital.

Kushtia Civil Surgeon HM Anwarul Islam said his district is not in good. The position of Kushtia in Khulna division is worrying. The number of deaths and infections were increasing in all the upazilas.

He said his doctors were fighting within the limited capacity across the district.

He told that  amid of the crisis of doctors, nurses and midwives, about 65 leaders and activists of the Kushtia district unit of Bangladesh Chhatra League have been serving the Corona unit as volunteer for last sevn months. This has saved the hospital's medical services from collapsing.