Amid dearth of manpower, logistics, only one ventilator operational at GMC B’la

Baramulla, May 19: Admitting the dearth of logistics and manpower to make ventilators operational at Government Medical College (GMC) Baramulla, the authorities Wednesday said that there are around 85 positive patients admitted in the facility of which one is on ventilator support while 40-45 are on a high flow oxygen support.
Baramulla district in the northern belt of Kashmir is among the most affected districts in Jammu and Kashmir with a regular rise in infection cases reaching to a total of 2847 active positive cases on Tuesday.
According to the figures available, the Baramulla district has reported a total of 5,084 COVID-19 positive cases and 27 deaths between May 1 and 19 having 2847 active positive cases as of Tuesday.
The figure reveals that the district registered a total of 18352 positive cases with 2847 active positive cases and 226 deaths.
Several numbers of residents, while expressing their resentment, said that the patients are being referred to Srinagar for advanced treatment and had to travel a distance of around 50 kilometers for want of proper ventilator support.
Nodal officer for COVID-19 at Government Medical College (GMC), Dr Yasir Bashir said that there are around 85 patients admitted to the facility of which 40-45 positive patients are on high flow oxygen support while only one is on ventilator support besides 40 are on medium flow oxygen support
“We are in the process to expand our Intensive Care Unit (ICU) but still, 12 ventilators are functional of which only one is under use since it takes a lot of logistics,” he said.
Dr. Yasir said that a single ventilator requires at least four nurses and if more ventilators come under use accordingly more nurses are required in every shift
He admitted that there is a dearth of both logistics and manpower adding that the work is underway and it may take some more time to make it fully functional.
In the ensuing month, he said around 10 patients have been referred from GMC Baramulla to Srinagar for further treatment.
Figures reveal that the district has reported a total of 27 COVID-19 positive deaths between May 1 to 18 taking the total toll of fatalities to 226 in the district.