• JSS Hospital already treating 42 patients at its facility
• Apollo BGS Hospital sets up 45-bed Unit at Aravindnagar
• Expert medical team from Bengaluru visits K.R. Hospital to study cause of deaths

Mysore/Mysuru: With Mysuru District witnessing a spike in COVID-19 positive cases almost daily in the past few days, Deputy Commissioner (DC) Abhiram G. Sankar has directed all Private Hospitals to treat COVID-19 patients without turning them away. 

In an order issued on Tuesday, Abhiram Sankar said that it is mandatory for Private Hospitals to admit and treat COVID-19 infected patients who are referred to by the designated COVID-19 Hospital, COVID Care Centres (CCCs) and other Government medical establishments. In case, Private Hospitals fail to treat COVID-19 patients in violation of the order, then the Government will take suitable action against them under the provisions of Karnataka Private Medical Establishments (KPME) Act.

The DC’s order comes after all the beds in Government Healthcare facilities meant for COVID-19 treatment are almost full, with the District reporting a rapid rise in the number of infections every day.

Reacting to the DC’s order, Col. Dr. Dayanand, Director, JSS Hospital, Mysuru, said that  the Hospital was strictly following the Government directions on treating COVID-19 patients at a time when the pandemic is causing havoc across the globe.

Pointing out that already 42 COVID-19 patients are being treated in the hospital facility, he said that the hospital is also conducting COVID-19 tests in its  state-of-the-art laboratory, which was inaugurated online by the Chief Minister recently. 

Maintaining that all necessary precautionary and safety measures are being taken by doctors, nurses and other medical staff in the treatment of infected patients, Col. Dayanand regretted that it is unfortunate the media and the District Administration have been unfairly targeting Private Hospitals in respect of Covid-19 care.

Speaking to Star of Mysore this morning, he said “It is not fair to criticise private hospitals at a time when they have joined hands with the Government in  fighting the deadly pandemic. We are complying with Government directives on COVID-19 care and the false propaganda being carried out against private hospitals must end.”

Apollo BGS Hospital, Mysuru, Vice-President (Operations) N.G. Bharateesh Reddy, told SOM that the Hospital is always ready to come to the aid of COVID-19 patients.

The Hospital has set up a 45-bed exclusive COVID care facility in its Aravindanagar Unit, in which three infected patients are currently undergoing treatment, he said and added that Apollo Hospital will not hesitate to admit referred patients. The Hospital will always stand with the Government directives in this hour of crisis, he reiterated.

Expert team visits K.R. Hospital 

Amid the rise in COVID-19 deaths in the district, a team of medical experts from Bengaluru visited K.R. Hospital earlier this week to ascertain the reason in the sudden spurt in death rate. 

After carrying out a study, the team is said to have suggested the District Administration to reserve 80 beds for treating COVID-19 infected patients and 100 beds for treating patients suffering from SARI (Severe Acute Respiratory Illness) and ILI (Influenza Like Illness) in K.R. Hospital.

Responding to the team’s visit, Dr. C.P. Nanjaraj, Dean and Director of Mysore Medical College and Research Institute (MMC&RI) to which the K.R. Hospital is attached, confirmed to SOM  that a team of medical experts from Bengaluru had visited the hospital in the wake of spurt in COVID-19 deaths.

Stating that 15 patients found to be COVID-19 symptomatic have died and five other patients are being treated at K.R. Hospital, he said that it has become extremely difficult to shift patients under ventilator support to the designated COVID Hospital on KRS Road. 

“Deaths are reportedly taking place when patients, who test positive for COVID-19 after admission at K.R. Hospital, are being shifted to the designated COVID-19 Hospital. In this backdrop, the team of experts have suggested treating such patients at K.R. Hospital itself,” Dr. Nanjaraj said.

Continuing, he said that there are also cases where patients have died within hours of admission at K.R. Hospital. As such, we have sought the experts to confirm whether the deaths are exclusively due to COVID-19 or due to co-morbidities that the patients may have suffered from. Already, a thorough study has been conducted to ascertain the exact cause of death of 25 patients and a study in respect of other deaths is underway, he  added.

Meanwhile, Deputy Commissioner Abhiram G. Sankar said that the team of experts had visited K.R. Hospital following  a letter written by him, seeking to conduct a study on the exact cause of deaths. Based on the District Administration’s request, the team visited the hospital and has come up with certain suggestions, he pointed out.