Patna hospitals fall short of beds

PATNA: Hospitals and doctors in the city are having a tough time in tackling the rising number of dengue cases over the last couple of weeks. While patients complained about lack of beds in the hospitals, the authorities claim they were taking various steps to accommodate the dengue patients on priority basis.

Anandpuri resident Rajnish Kahsyap said he faced difficulties in getting his wife admitted in a private hospital at Pataliputra Colony. “My wife Seema Kumari has been suffering from dengue for the last three days and she started complaining of weakness and restlessness on Thursday night. I took her to a private hospital in Pataliputra locality on Friday morning, but the hospital administration did not admit her saying they had no bed to accommodate her. Thereafter, I took her to another private hospital in the same locality. There, too, I had to wait for over an hour before she was finally admitted there,” Rajnish said.

Aparna Meenakshi, who looks after the administration of a private hospital in Kankarbagh , also said there was shortage of beds in the hospital. “At least 15 people with dengue symptoms visit us every day for treatment. We have total 150 beds, which are not exclusively for dengue. But most beds are occupied by dengue patients,” she said.

Another private hospital at Raja Bazar has recently arranged 15 additional beds for dengue patients. Its regional director Talat Halim said: “Around 30-40 dengue patients are admitted in the hospital every day, including four to five in the ICU. However, there is no shortage of beds here.”

The Patna Medical College and Hospital ( PMCH ) and Nalanda Medical College and Hospital (NMCH) administration also claimed they have sufficient beds.

PMCH medicine department associate professor Dr RD Singh said though the pressure has increased five times, but they were tackling the rush. “We have not faced shortage of beds and have sufficient platelets,” he added.

However, attendants complained of misbehaviour at PMCH. Phulwarisharif resident Komal Devi, who got her husband Rajeev Kumar admitted at PMCH, said the nursing staff were rude and did not attend to the patients.

“They misbehaved and asked us to change ORS bottles ourselves. Despite calling them several times, they did not come and I took the help of another person for removing the bottle and blood started oozing from the patient’s hand,” said Komal.