| In 16 days, GMC Anantnag collects 12 samples, faces shortage of safety gears | | |
SAAHIL SUHAIL
Early Times Report
ANANTNAG, Mar 30: The slow pace of testing can be gauged from the fact the Government Medical College Anantnag has collected just twelve samples in last sixteen days, however the authorities defend slow pace saying the persons under hospital and administrative quarantine are asymptotic.
The Associated Hospital of Government Medical College Anantnag also faces shortage of safety gears including Personnel Protection Equipment and N95 masks.
According to the documents, available with Early Times, Flu Clinic at Government Medical College Anantnag started collecting samples from 3rd of March and has so far collected only twelve samples.
Fortunately, samples of nine persons tested negative for novel corona virus (Covid-19) while as the report of other samples is awaited, doctors at GMC Anantnag told Early Times. They said that collection of samples was going at slow pace only because the persons and hospital and administrative quarantine are asymptotic.
However, a group of doctors contradicted GMC authorities and said that surveillance mechanism is poor. "The authorities must strengthen its surveillance mechanism," they added.
According to the date, available with Early Times, around 438 persons of the district have foreign travel history and 923 are domestic travelers who returned from different parts of the country including Maharashtra.
4 persons are under hospital quarantine while as 168 persons are in administrative quarantine. Similarly 1165 persons are under home quarantine out of which 105 persons have completed 14 days quarantine period.
Government Medical College Anantnag also faced shortage of Personnel Protection Equipments (PPE) and other safety gears. According to officials, GMC needs around 50000 PPE kits, hoever the hospital has only 950. The hospital has only 2300 N95 Masks while as it requires around 10,000. The GMC also face shortage of triple layer masks, sanitizers, VTM, gloves, caps and shoe covers.
According to experts, Anantnag district having population of more than 10.8 lakh, has over around 3 lakh population with high risk including children, aged persons, diabetic, IHD and others. The hospital also had only two ventilators for COVID-19 patients while as Maternity and Child Care Hospital Anantnag (Under GMC Anantnag Control) has no ventilator and lacks basic facilities.
Principal Government Medical College, Dr Showket Jeelani wasn't available for a comment. |
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