Patients turned away for want of beds

S Akshay from Avadi went to a private multi-speciality hospital in Kamaraj Nagar in Avadi for his father’s dialysis. After a post dialysis check-up, the doctor said that he required a blood transfusion. However, the hospital authorities sent him away due to a lack of beds. “They said that most of the beds were occupied with dengue and fever patients, and asked me to come the next day. Even after two days, the hospital did not have beds. There were already 10 patients in the waitlist before my father could be admitted,” said Akshay.

In another instance, a 24/7 clinic and emergency care hospital in Ekkatuthangal turned down about five fever patients who had to be administered intravenous fluids as there were no beds to accommodate them.

A private hospital in Periyar Nagar in Perambur has stopped taking admissions as the hospital has nine paediatric patients suffering from fever. “There are a large number of dengue cases, we get at least 50 fever patients as outpatients. As the laboratory staff is available only for specific hours, even the medical reports are piling up,” said a medical staff at the hospital. Some hospitals are making arrangements to accommodate patients in other hospitals.

Since January, Tamil Nadu has recorded more than 3,800 dengue cases and seven deaths due to the infection. The State Health Department officials said more than 70 per cent of the dengue cases were being recorded in children.

Private hospitals across the State have been instructed to follow a specific protocol for fever cases that includes discharge after proper observation and laboratory tests. 

“If private hospitals are out of beds and facilities, the State hospitals are equipped [to deal with these cases]. They will be allotted with additional facilities if the need arises,” said Public Health Director Dr K Kolandaisamy.