Covid-19 bed crisis in Bogura, patient returning

Following a huge rush of Covid-19 patients, many public and private hospitals in Bogura are run out of Covid-19 beds and some have stopped admitting new patients, forcing patients to be treated at home.

Every day, an average of 85 Covid-19 patients are coming to the two government hospitals in Bogura – Shaheed Ziaur Rahman Medical College (SZRMC) and Mohammad Ali Hospital.

The district health department said as hospitals are overrun with patients many patients with good oxygen saturation are being sent home after counselling. Only patients in critical condition are being admitted to the hospital.

SZRMC is still admitting patients but there is no vacant bed in Mohammad Ali Hospital to accommodate any new patient. Private hospital TMSS Medical College is not accepting patients as it lacks oxygen cylinders.

Mohammad Ali Hospital authorities said no new patients have been admitted to the hospital since Saturday without special consideration. There is no chance to get a vacant bed unless a patient returns home after he recovers or dies.

On Sunday, seven people died of Covid-19 infection in Bogura and nine people have died of symptoms of the virus, taking the total number of deaths in Covid-19 in the district at 465.

Bogura Deputy Civil Surgeon Dr Mostafizur Rahman Tuhin said 183 people have been newly diagnosed with Covid-19 after testing 487 samples in the district on Sunday. With this, the total number of Covid-19 victims in the district stood at 15,707. At present, 1,705 people – about 600 in hospital and the rest are at home – are undergoing treatment in the district.

Mohammad Ali Hospital was turned into a specialised hospital for Covid-19 patients after the pandemic first hit the country last year. The hospital has a central oxygen system, 20 high flow nasal cannulas and eight ICU beds.

Shapla Khandaker from Bogura city went to Mohammad Ali Hospital to get his relatives admitted on Sunday but hospital authorities said they had stopped admitting Covid-19 patients for the time being. Her relative is treated at home now.

On Saturday, a patient from Gaibandha, who could not admit to Mohammad Ali Hospital, died in front of the hospital.

A visit to the hospital says the Covid-19 ward was full of patients and their attendants and doctors and nurses are struggling to serve patients. Many patients have also been kept in the corridor with oxygen cylinders.

"Almost 280 patients are admitted in the hospital at present. Every day, 50-65 patients come here for admission. SZRMC has some vacant beds. That is why we are sending patients there. However, we are admitting critically ill patients," ATM Nuruzzaman Sanchay, superintend of the hospital.

SZRMC Deputy Director Dr Abdul Wadud said 213 patients are admitted against 250 beds at present, but at least 25 to 30 critical patients are coming to the hospital every day.

He said patients with good oxygen saturation are provided counselling and sent home.

The condition of TMSS Medical College, the only private hospital for Covid-19 treatment in the district, is similar. Usually, fewer people come to TMSS for treatment as it is expensive. But more patients are coming as the infection rate is rising. It has 200 beds but cannot admit more than 105 patients due to an oxygen crisis, said hospital spokesman Dr Abdur Rahim Rubel

Deputy Civil Surgeon Mostafizur Rahman said, "I am not aware of any plan of increasing the number of beds in the hospitals of the district. I have heard that 50 new beds will be set up in SZRMC,"