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How COVID-19 became a ‘boon’ for a battered Indian hospital -Breaking

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© Reuters. The Jawaharlal Naehru Medical College and Hospital is viewed from the Jawaharlal Niru District in Bihar’s eastern state, India. This was November 12, 2021. Picture taken November 12, 2021. REUTERS/Krishna N. Das

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By Krishna N. Das

BHAGALPUR, India (Reuters ) – The JawaharlalNehru Medical College and Hospital (JLNMCH), located in Bhagalpur, was at the peak of last year’s COVID-19 waves in India. It was a stark example of the poor state of healthcare across most of India.

In case of violence, armed escorts were sent with doctors to accompany them on rounds in wards and ICUs. According to doctors, India’s second tsunami hit India in January this year. The 800-bed government hospital, which was supposed to be able serve many millions, could barely withstand the violence.

JLNMCH has been given a second chance after the devastation caused by the pandemic. Authorities are trying to fix India’s underinvestment in healthcare, particularly in Bhagalpur, the home state of Bihar, where the infrastructure for healthcare is some of the most poor in India.

Now, the hospital can supply oxygen to nearly its entire demand. It also has dozens of nurses on staff, almost doubled its ICU capacity and connected hundreds of patients with piped oxygen. The hospital’s superintendent suggested that the exterior might be painted to brighten up its pink and dingy appearance.

Construction of the new, luxurious 200-bed hospital for advanced care, started in 2005. Work has been greatly accelerated and should be complete by next year’s first half.

According to Asim Kumar, the medical superintendent at JLNMCH and COVID, “COVID is a boon” he said in an interview to Reuters. Although it caused great destruction and suffering for humanity, we have seen so many improvements in the infrastructure of our hospital because it was there.

Das stated that the hospital is in negotiations with the state for 200 additional beds at the main facility, as well as more human resources due to an “acute shortfall” in doctors and paramedics.

Government figures reveal that health infrastructure in India is beginning to receive similar attention.

FUNDS FLOW TO OXYGEN

Heavyly criticised by the coronavirus epidemics and death records in April/May, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Government, together with state governments and companies, has provided funding for hospitals, so all of India’s almost 750 districts now have at least 1 oxygen-generation station.

The federal government estimates that approximately 4000 of these devices have been installed in recent months.

With an investment of approximately $9 billion, the government pledged that it would build new hospitals as well as upgrade existing ones. This is part of a wider plan to bring the hospital bed count to 2 per 1,000.

Federal government says that many states plan to increase their spending on health. It wants them to go up to 2.5% GDP in 2024/25, from 1.2% the previous fiscal year.

India’s public-health budget ranks among the bottom in the world. According to World Bank data India’s out-of pocket expenditures are also among the highest.

‘GOOD BEGINNING’

Bihar, alone, has committed to building 1,600 more government hospitals over the next 12 months at a cost of almost $500 million. The state currently had less than 80 district and sub-district hospitals.

President of the Indian non-profit Public Health Foundation of India, K. Srinath Reddy (cardiologist, epidemiologist) said, “It’s an excellent beginning. There’s no question about that.”

Without the right human resources, the infrastructure won’t work. This element must be addressed as soon as possible.

Although the Bhagalpur hospital has now 60 ICU beds and Reuters was able to visit, many rooms in the Bhagalpur hospital were locked or unoccupied during a recent visit.

Mahesh Kumar, the doctor in charge of the department said that “we are short on human resources” while speaking to Mahesh Kumar in an unoccupied room where 16 beds had been fitted with blue mattresses. “We require trained paramedics as well as doctors. They will be able to keep all ICU rooms open if they are available.

According to August government data, Bihar’s district hospitals are home to one of the lowest ratios of nurses and doctors relative to their patients.

New Delhi has a staffing ratio that is more than double the national average. This falls below the standards set by the federal government.

The government presented the data in a report. It identified shortages of human resource as the major problem and said it was working to fix it.

Modi inaugurated nine new medical colleges in Uttar Pradesh, the country’s largest state, late last month. He said that India will be able produce more doctors over the next 10-12 year than in the 70 years since India gained independence from British rule.

India has had some success with the COVID-19 case numbers.

Bhagalpur’s JLNMCH is located along the banks of holy Ganga. It has not received a COVID-19 case in two months. This is a result of low numbers of COVID-19 cases in Bihar. A large majority of their population were thought to have been natural infected in July.

One block that was reserved for admitting some 100 patients with COVID-19 had been completely empty. In the ICU for paediatrics, 16 beds were left empty to prevent another wave from hitting children as it is feared.

Kumar Gaurav, a psychiatrist, said that there had been an improvement in the infrastructure and the competence of our medical staff since the second wave. This was because many senior doctors were either unable to take on the role or they contracted the virus.

“If there is a third wave, or any other event, we’ll be better equipped to deal with it.”

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