Finding a bed turns a herculean task in Tamil Nadu – Times of India

CHENNAI: Government medical colleges are stretching themselves thin by converting most of their beds into Covid ones while cancelling all nonemergency consultations and surgeries. On the other hand, the average occupancy in selffinancing colleges and deemed universities across the state is 50%. While some hospitals are reporting more than 90% occupancy, others said just 3% of their isolation beds are filled.
Of the 4,534 beds in 22 private medical colleges listed on https://stopcorona.tn.gov.in, 2,356 were occupied as on Tuesday. Even in hotspots like Chennai and Coimbatore, patients flow wasn’t uniform in all hospitals. Some institutions like Bhaarath Medical College and Hospital in Chennai and Kovai Medical College and Hospital in Coimbatore reported more than 90% occupancy, at least five other hospitals report less than 40% occupancy.
“These hospitals have beds, oxygen pipelines, doctor and nurses. While the state must create additional beds in trade centres and stadiums for future, these beds must be used immediately,” said former director of public health Dr K Kolandaisamy. “Some hospitals have state-ofthe-art infrastructure and teams to function as tertiary care centres, while many others should be used for secondary-level care. Most of these colleges don’t have patients in non-Covid wards. When the government has closed outpatient services and non emergency surgeries, these college should also do so.”
In 2020, the Odisha government paid private institutions about ₹3,000 per bed and the model proved successful, he said.
Senior government doctors believe the TN government should take over hostels in private medical college campuses for use as Covid Care Centres instead of using hostels in law or engineering colleges and training institutes. “The hostels in these colleges are on campus. Patients feel comfortable when doctors and a team of specialists are available on call,” said a senior postgraduate student posted at a Covid care centre.
“At care centres in housing boards and college hostels, patients see how we rush some in an ambulance to higher centres of care for high flow oxygen or ventilators. If the care centre is in a medical college, patients can be moved to the hospital on campus quickly. Most students’ hostels are empty now,” he said.
Director of medical education Dr R Narayanababu said the state was working with private medical colleges to help increase beds and oxygen capacity. “Two colleges have already agreed. We will be talking to others as well,” he said.