COVID: 7 out of 9 patients who died in SMCH this week were transferred from Karimganj, Hailakandi; "Late reporting is dangerous", doctors

The number of deaths has gained momentum as the second wave grew stronger in Barak Valley. This week itself, ten individuals were declared dead at Silchar Medical College and Hospital’s COVID ward. But the numbers reveal a worrisome trend.

According to various estimates, there are around 40 lakh (36 lakh according to the 2011 census) people residing in the three districts of Barak Valley – Cachar, Karimganj, and Hailakandi. Though the government rolled out various schemes to develop public health care in each district of the state, the reality is that there is only one hospital for the 40 lakh that can cure symptomatic or critical patients. Be it Covid or non-Covid diseases. The deputy commissioners of Hailakandi and Karimganj are caught off guard as the districts do not have basic facilities.

“Whenever symptomatic patients are reported to the Hospitals, they are immediately referred to Silchar Medical College and Hospital,” informed DC Hailakandi, Megh Nidhi Dahal. During the first wave, Dahal, who replaced Keerthi Jalli last year, had to run from post to pillar to arrange isolation wards. The district did not have hotels, hostels or large establishments which could be easily converted to comfortable quarantine facilities. If last year, provide comfort was a challenge, this year, in the second wave, it is breath.

“We can arrange up to 50 oxygen beds but we will be heavily dependent on the supply,” he said. 20 ventilators were sent to Hailakandi for building an ICU but that could not be done due to real-estate issue. “It will take at least another five months to get built,” informs Dahal. So Hailakandi will remain dependent on SMCH and so will Karimganj.

Dr. Anup Kr. Daitary Joint Director Health Services, Karimganj said there are oxygen beds in the Civil Hospital, however, for specialised treatment, they too keep sending patients to the SMCH.

If Karimganj and Hailakandi seem overwhelming for SMCH to tackle, the week started with the death of a North Tripura resident. On May 8, 79-year-old Nripesh Ranjan Choudhury was referred from North Tripura and he was declared the next morning (May 09) at the COVID ward of SMCH.

In fact, eight out of the nine patients who died at SMCH were transferred from other districts. Four happened to be from Hailakandi and three from Karimganj.

Today, two patients have been declared dead at SMCH’s COVID ward. Rijia Begum Barbhuiya is a Algapur Hailakandi resident and was admitted on May 12. The patient breathed her last today at 6:30 am. The other patient declared dead today is from Badarpur Karimganj. 68-year-old, PK Bhattacharjee was transferred to SMCH yesterday and today afternoon at 1:30 he passed out.

Yesterday, as per the medical bulletin shared by Dr. Bhaskar Gupta, Vice-Principal of Silchar Medical College and Hospital, three individuals were declared dead at SMCH. Md Nazim Uddin Barbhuiya took admission on May 11 and was declared dead on May 12 at 1:15 am. He was 69-year-old and a resident of Hailakandi district.

The other two who succumbed yesterday with COVID at SMCH were transferred from Badarpur in Karimganj district. 60-year-old Kishore Das Gupta was declared dead at 7:00 while Chandan Lal Sen breathed his last at 9:20 am. Sen was admitted to the hospital on May 7 while Das Gupta was transferred on May 11.

On May 11 too, two patients died at SMCH and both happened to be residents of Hailakandi district. Jiten Chandra Das, a 67-year-old resident of the Lala Chandrapur area in Hailakandi breathed his last in the hospital at 4:50 am. He was admitted to the hospital on May 9.

Another Lala resident, 65-year-old Dilip Kumar Singh was also declared dead at SMCH on May 11. Singh was admitted to the hospital on May 5. On May 10, one individual from Cachar was declared dead.

In some cases, the patients were referred by doctors in Karimganj and Hailakandi while otherwise, the patients themselves report SMCH straight-away. Dr. Bhaskar Gupta said, “Not only for Hailakandi and Karimganj, but late reporting is dangerous for all in this second wave.” He urged the general public to not waste time or hide symptoms. “Early detection can save lives with minimal treatment,” said Gupta.

What remains exposed are the life-size loopholes in the healthcare facilities in Hailakandi and Karimganj. It is the result of years of ignorance, otherwise, Oxygen beds and ICUs need no rocket science or massive finance.