Shortage Of ICU Beds Concerns Vimsar Doctors

Sambalpur: The Veer Surendra Sai Institute of Medical Sciences and Research (Vimsar), Burla, is facing an acute shortage of ICU beds. Though Vimsar is the biggest healthcare centre in this region, and has more than 1,000 beds, only 14 beds have ICU facility.

The shortage of ICU beds has prompted the Junior Doctor Association (JDA) of the hospital to express concern. “At least 10% of the total bed strength of the hospital should be for ICU patients. By that calculation, Vimsar should have at least 100 ICU beds,” said president of JDA, Sanjeev Mishra.

Mishra explained that many patients were referred to Vimsar’s ICU every day but were forced to go to private hospitals because of the lack of enough beds. “In private hospitals, the poor patients get denied government schemes. They are left to the mercy of god,” he said, adding that the union had drawn the attention of development commissioner Suresh Mohapatra to the problem.

Mishra also said the hospital authorities had the infrastructure to add six more ICU beds but weren’t being able to do so because of the absence of ventilators. “The authorities of Vimsar had asked the Odisha State Medical Corporation Limited (OSMCL) for the ventilators around three months ago but the machines are yet to arrive,” he said.

Dean in-charge and principal of Vimsar Braja Mohan Mishra said the tender process for the procurement of the ventilators had been completed. “However, we are yet to get the ventilators. We are hopeful that OSMCL will give us six machines at the earliest so that we can increase our ICU bed count to 20,” he said, adding that he had written to the government several times seeking at least 50 ICU beds.-Times Of India