In the Indian union territory of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K), the administration has provided eight more ventilators to the Government Medical College Baramulla, the nodal hospital treating coronavirus infected patients not only in the district but the entire North Kashmir.
The procurement of the life-saving machines was facilitated some days back by the Jammu and Kashmir Medical Supplies Corporation Limited, a government undertaking entrusted with supplies of medical equipment to government hospitals.
Other COVID-19 dedicated hospitals of the union territory (UT) have also been provided with more ventilators.
The relatives of COVID-19 patients and the local municipal councilor appreciated this step taken by UT government as it will help the patients who were earlier suffering due to the shortage of ventilators.
“We would like to thank the UT Government for providing ventilators to GMC Baramulla. Earlier the hospital was in a bad shape. Ventilator facility was not available here due to which we had to refer patients with serious illness to other places,” said Abid Salaam, councilor Baramulla.
The Medical Superintendent of Government Medical College Baramulla, Dr Syed Masood Ahmed said that it is a landmark decision taken by the UT administration to add more ventilators in each COVID hospital across the Kashmir valley.
“These new ventilators will boost the medical infrastructure in the hospital as earlier they had to send the patients to Srinagar hospitals. Earlier we had to refer patients to other hospitals. A virology lab is also being constructed here. We have also upgraded the dialysis facility. We have eight ventilators and we are expecting more ventilators in future,” said Dr Ahmed.
The Jammu and Kashmir administration has already ordered the procurement of 700 ventilators for hospitals in the UT amidst the COVID-19 crisis.
The hospitals across Kashmir are already facing a shortage of critical-care facilities and with the coronavirus pandemic, it is creating trouble for patients. However, the Central government is taking a keen interest in the development of medical infrastructure in the UT.
“Now there are good facilities in the hospital. Earlier we had to go to hospitals in Srinagar due to lack of facilities here. Now all the facilities are available here and we also have good doctors here,” said Ghulam Muhammad, a relative of a COVID-19 patient.