Committee directed to submit details about bed strength today
By: Ahmad Shabir
Anantnag: A day after the principal, GMC Anantnag, Dr Showkat Jeelani allegedly misinformed the Lieutenant Governor, Manoj Sinha about the strength of ICU beds for Covid management at the facility, Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir, P K Pole on Wednesday constituted a committee to ascertain the claims on the ground.
Sinha on Tuesday visited GMC Anantnag to review the Covid-19 situation at the facility having been declared as territory care hospital for twin southern districts, Anantnag and Kulgam.
Lt Governor during his visit sought the detailed information regarding the Covid management and patient care. GMC Principal informed Sinha that GMC has 40 ICU beds available for patient care.
As soon as the claim about the strength of ICU beds was reported by online portals and newspapers, the social media users discredited the claims of GMC authorities.
Many users described the information provided to LG by GMC principal as false and lie while as some accused him of misleading Sinha.
“Principal GMC Anantnag today informed the Lt Governor that the hospital is having the capacity of 120 Covid dedicated beds with 40 ICU beds.”
“Reads the pressnote issued by the Directorate of information. But the fact of the matter is the hospital is without a full fledged ICU. There are only four ICU beds providing only non-invasive ventillation. None of the patients has been intubated so far in the hospital,” tweeted a journalist, Khalid Gul.
Another Facebook user sarcastically wrote, “GMC Anantnag has 40 ICU beds. Khodaya tarr (Oh God what a big lie).”
Scores of other Facebook users expressed anger over Principal GMC misinforming the LG.
Following the social media outrage over the ‘false’ claim of the principal, Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir, P K Pole today constituted a three-member committee including a senior doctor from Medical College Srinagar and Additional DC Anantnag to find out the exact ICU bed strength in the GMC.
Sources in the hospital said that the committee members early morning reached the hospital to check whether the principal had lied to the LG or his claim was based on facts.
The committee, according to sources has been asked to submit the fact finding report within a day only.
Precious Kashmir talked to one of the committee members who refused to comment on the fact finding, saying that “We cannot comment over the matter. We will submit the report before the LG tomorrow,” he said.
The Principal of the GMC while speaking to the reporters was stick to his claims that the hospital has only 40 ICU beds and enough nursing and mechanical staff for the purpose.
However, official sources in GMC, said that the hospital has not more than eight ICU beds that too with non-invasive ventilation only.
“Going by the medical standards, the hospital has no ICU bed. Yes, there are around eight ICU beds available in the hospital but they are used only for non-invasive ventilation. Since the medical college started functioning, not a single patient has been provided invasive ventilation and patients needing the same continue to be referred to Srinagar. Many of them die on way to Srinagar hospitals,” said a source in the hospital.
He said that he fails to understand what the principal sahab actually means by ICU beds. “His claim has been a hard topic among the doctors among the doctors since yesterday,” the source said.
A resident, Yasir said that people of South Kashmir had high hopes attached with LG’s visit to GMC. “The principal of the GMC misled him badly,” he said.