Mysore/Mysuru: Following a directive from the Union Health Ministry to ascertain preparedness in case of a resurgence in Coronavirus cases, two hospitals in Mysuru conducted a mock drill yesterday.
A global surge in Coronavirus cases, particularly in China, provoked authorities to assess the preparedness and to evaluate COVID hospitals. The drill was conducted at the Trauma Care Centre and Princess Krishnajammanni Super-Speciality Hospital on the PKTB campus on KRS Road.
During the killer second wave, these two hospitals treated patients along with the dedicated COVID Hospital on KRS Road (now District Hospital). It may be recalled here that Trauma Care Centre and the Super-Speciality Hospital were readied during the second wave with assistance from private hospitals, donors and philanthropists. Several mega industries too contributed under their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) funds.
Yesterday, a team led by Mysore Medical College and Research Institute (MMC&RI) Dean and Director Dr. K.R. Dakshayani visited the hospitals taking stock of bed availability, supplies of medicines and equipment like ventilators and reviewed human resources.
COVID infrastructure
“It is important that the entire COVID infrastructure in terms of equipment, processes and human resources are at a state of operational readiness. We are prepared to combat the pandemic in case of any surge in numbers. Our staff too are geared up to handle the situation”, she told reporters.
The focus of the exercise was largely to derive a geographically representative availability of health facilities such as bed capacity, including isolation beds, oxygen-supported isolation beds, ICU beds and ventilator-supported beds.
Also tested was the availability of human resources — doctors, nurses, paramedics, AYUSH doctors and other frontline workers — and medical oxygen supplies, including oxygen concentrators, oxygen cylinders, PSA (pressure swing action) plants, liquid medical oxygen storage tanks, and medical gas pipeline system.
Oxygen supply/availability
As part of the mock drill, the oxygen supply situation too was assessed. The K.R. Hospital has a 13 KL Liquid Medical Oxygen (LMO) plant while the Trauma Care Centre and the PKTB Sanatorium campus have 13 KL and 6 KL liquid oxygen plants.
There is also a PSA plant with jumbo oxygen cylinders for use in emergencies. Mysuru has become self-reliant in oxygen production now with the establishment of oxygen-generation plants. Earlier, the district entirely depended on cylinders supplied from other districts.
This post was published on December 28, 2022 7:56 pm