From setting up special wards to augmenting ambulance fleet, the city is slowly upgrading its medical infrastructure for Commonwealth GamesAs government shifts gears and moves into the fast lane for getting infrastructure in place for the Commonwealth Games next year, doubts are being raised over city’s ability to ramp up its ailing healthcare facilities in time for the 2010 event.
State health minister Kiran Walia claims the government is doing everything to upgrade the infrastructure but is not willing to put a number to the work done. ‘‘We can’t quantify the amount of work done, as most of it will start in months to come. Hopefully, by December or January next year a lot will be in place,’’ she said.
But with member countries expressing security concerns, especially in the wake of September 13 blasts of last year, the city will have to take some concrete confidence building measures to show the guests that our hospitals are ready to tackle any emergency situation unlike the chaos that prevailed during the blasts. Walia says there’s no need to panic. ‘‘We have identified hospitals as primary and secondary response centres for each competition venue. And we are also pushing for better coordination between hospitals. Moreover, all hospitals have their disaster management programme in sync with that of the government’s,’’ the minister said.
Here’s the healthcare roadmap to Games:
COMMONWEALTH WARDS
Special 10-bedded well-equipped wards have been created at AIIMS Trauma Centre, RML Trauma Centre and GB Pant Hospital for athletes and officials. These hospitals will also have a separate casualty and observation area along with designated medical staff. ‘‘For security reasons, we need separate casualty wards for athletes and Games officials with dedicated entrance for them. These special wards are in use but will be modified during the Games. The new building coming up at GB Pant can also be used,’’ said Dr AK Aggarwal, dean Maulana Azad Medical College (MAMC) and in-charge of Commonwealth wards.
To ensure that common man doesn’t suffer during the Games, AIIMS Trauma centre will add more beds to the existing ward. ‘‘We want no interruption in the functioning of the centre,’’ said Dr MC Misra, chief, AIIMS Trauma Centre.
SPECIAL MEDICAL STAFF
The government will train nearly 500 paramedical staff at Delhi Health Service (DHS) office in Karkardooma and an equal number of doctors in sports medicine, advance life support etc and how to deal with emergency situations at Games venues, said Dr Aggarwal. ‘‘We should be prepared to handle any kind of emergency. Our doctors should know how to de-contaminate a patient who has been exposed to harmful radiations. The methodology of transporting these patients is also very different. Doctors and paramedical staff also have to protect themselves. We have trained 40 doctors in the first batch and would like to train as many as possible before the Games,’’ said Dr Misra, on the sidelines of a training programme for doctors organized by Delhi government, AIIMS, National Disaster Management Authority and Defense Research and Development Organization.
PRIMARY AND SECONDARY RESPONSE CENTRES
The government has identified eight primary response centres — where patients will be rushed first in case of emergency — and 10 supplementary response hospitals — which will cater to the spillover. Each Games venue has been designated a primary and a secondary response centre (see list).
Initially, Lal Bahadur Shastri Hospital (LBSH), Malviya Nagar Hospital, Aruna Asaf Ali Hospital (AAAH), Sushruta Truma Centre (STC) and Dr Hegdewar Arogya Sansthan (DHAS) were earmarked as primary response hospitals because patient load in AIIMS, GB Pant and RML is very high. ‘‘But health infrastructure was not up to the mark in these hospitals. That’s why we decided to make AIIMS, RML, GB Pant etc as primary response centres which have facilities like CT-Scan, digital X-ray, MRI etc,’’ said an official.
A medical centre at all training and competition venues will be set up and one doctor with two or three paramedics will be deployed. ‘‘We are also going to have physiotherapists at all the venues,’’ said Dr Arun Mendiratta, director, medical services, Commonwealth Games.
POLYCLINIC AT GAMES VILLAGE
A 10-bedded polyclinic with facilities like ultrasound, digital x-ray and other diagnostic test will be set at Games Village. At the polyclinic, 150 doctors and paramedical staff would be posted round the clock. ‘‘Though we are ready with our plan, DDA is yet to hand over the complex to us,’’ said Minister Kiran Walia.
DIAGNOSTIC EQUIPMENT
Till last year, the government had planned to install diagnostic facilities like CT-scan, digital x-rays at supplementary hospitals and had sanctioned Rs 22 crore. ‘‘But there is an acute shortage of radiologists. That is why, the government has decided to outsource CT-scan, digital X-rays at these hospitals,’’ said senior health officials.
‘‘There is going to be good diagnostic facility at all the primary and supplementary response hospitals. The government has ordered ice-making machines for competition venues, as it is a major requirement for sports events,’’ said Dr Mendiratta. But the tenders for the same are yet to be floated.
FACELIFT
One of the main centres, GB Pant will get a facelift before the Games. The health department held a meeting with MCD to clean the lane outside the hospital. ‘‘At present, a lot of space outside GB Pant and Lok Nayak has been encroached by small kiosks. We have asked MCD to remove illegal kiosks,’’ said health minister minister Kiran Walia.
AMBULANCES
- Number of ambulances 150
- Advanced life support 9
- Basic life support 141
- First responders on motorbike 20 (mainly for first aid)
- Ambulance service cost per month Rs 1.23 cr
- Number of doctors deployed for Games 500
- Number of paramedical staff 500
- Facilities for athletes and Games officials
- AIIMS Trauma Centre RML Trauma Centre GB Pant hospital
These facilities will have a 10-bedded well-equipped ward each, separate casualty and close to 30 medical staff 10-bedded state-of-the-art polyclinic at Games Village site
Primary response hospitals
The first response centres in case of emergency situations like blast or stampede All India Institute of Medical Sciences Safdarjung Hospital Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital Lok Nayak Hospital Hindu Rao Hospital Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital GB Pant Hospital
Supplementary response hospitals
Lal Bahadur Shastri Hospital
Number of beds | 100
ICU beds | nil
Dr Hegdewar Arogya Sansthan Hospital
Number of beds | 200
ICU beds | Yet to start
Malviya Nagar Hospital
Number of beds | 100
ICU beds | 6
Aruna Asaf Ali Hospital
Number of beds | 100
ICU beds | nil
Sushruta Trauma Centre
Number of beds | 100
ICU beds | 6
0 comments:
Post a Comment