- Make no mistake, the healthcare infrastructure in Bengaluru once hailed with such pride and renowned for its medical facilities is crumbling under the weight of the second covid wave. The deluge of confirmed infection rates during April has completely overwhelmed the healthcare infrastructure of the metropolitan city is stating the obvious. The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) entrusted with the overall responsibilities to manage everything related to infected patients are not helping one bit in facilitating the smooth process of ensuring timely admission into a designated hospital. Bottlenecks bogging the procedural delays are severely stalling the infected patients from receiving attention and treatment in the desired manner.
PC: Pratheesh
- Even though the health authorities have ramped up the testing in the city, the result of the testing vis-à-vis Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) or the gold standard Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) is also proving to be a great hurdle for the people already reeling under severe duress. Right from the time, a swab sample is collected from an individual, and till he or she receives the result of being found positive or negative for the infection is proving to be one cumbersome process. Though the health authorities claim the result will be provided to the individual within 24 hours, the fact of the matter is the results are not available even after 72 hours. This delay is not only leading to a great amount of anxiety but also uncertainty as well.
- Imagine a scenario as to what would happen if any of the infected individuals not in receipt of the testing result moves around unwittingly spreading the dreaded virus to his immediate family members and others who might come in contact. People in the know about the vagaries of the virus might isolate themselves till the results are made available. However, the same cannot be expected from everybody to follow the protocol so diligently. Question of livelihood will compel many to venture out in the absence of quick testing results necessitating subsequent desirous action. Do not heave a sigh of relief after receiving the result as the real drama commences if god forbid an individual is found infected.
PC: Nicole Lyn Pesce
- The infected patient and his/her family’s real ordeal commence now. The patient must receive a unique patient identity tag issued by the authorities called as Bengaluru Urban (BU) number. Unless one has this number, there cannot be any admission process undertaken by the authorities in any of the hospitals designated for covid related treatments. Testing report delays coupled with the BU number generation delay are placing the suffering patients’ lives at risk who might require immediate attention and treatment. Precious hours are lost in the procedural impediments where any number of patients have lost lives due to falling oxygen saturation levels. Streamlining these issues on a war footing is unavoidable.
- It is understood the entire healthcare machinery is overburdened by the deluge of confirmed infection cases but the government cannot take umbrage by citing the same reason. It is incumbent to have in place a well-oiled mechanism based on a foolproof strategy to ensure smooth functioning of the covid war room handled by the BBMP mandarins. Distressed patients and families should be provided with every possible means of assistance by the authorities to make them feel satisfied with the services. Fear of the virus and uncertainty surrounding the treatment protocol is exacerbating the anxiety levels. Set-right this issue immediately.
