Hapless pursuit of a hospital bed

Tofazzal Hossain took his mother to Chattogram Medical College Hospital (CMCH) earlier this week, as she tested positive for Covid-19 and was suffering from breathing issues.

But no bed at the Covid-19 ward was vacant, and so, she had to lie down on the floor.

Tofazzal talked to this correspondent when he went to a pharmacy in front of the hospital to buy some medicine for his mother.

"The situation is horrible. We went to Chattogram General Hospital [CGH] first but did not get a bed. The staff of CGH advised us to come to CMCH, but the situation is the same here," said Tofazzal, who hails from the port city's Halishahar area.

"The CMCH authority admitted my mother but could not provide a bed. She finally resorted to lying on the floor like many other patients," he said. "However, she has been given oxygen support."

Palash Nandi had taken his father, who tested positive for Covid-19 on Sunday, to CMCH from Hathazari upazila.

"At first, we thought of admitting my father to a private hospital and went to three private facilities, but there was no empty bed at any of them," he told The Daily Star. "So, we came here, but still couldn't get a bed. My father is now lying on the floor of the ward."

"Many patients have to share the same oxygen port of the central line. At times, when a patient feels better, they leave the port for another patient. This rationing system is due to patients outnumbering the beds and oxygen ports. Those who have not experienced this will not understand the severity of the situation," said Palash.

As the number of Covid-19 patients in Chattogram is increasing, almost all general and ICU beds at all government and private hospitals in the port city have been filled up, so patients are rushing from one hospital to another in search of a bed.

All previous records of Covid-19 infections and deaths in Chattogram district were broken in July, and the situation is only getting worse in August.

A total of 772 Covid-19 cases were detected from 2,883 samples in 24 hours till yesterday, said sources in Chattogram Civil Surgeon office. A total of 12 patients died during the period.

The situation was much better even in June.

According to officials of Chattogram Civil Surgeon office, a total of 5,259 patients were detected in June, while the number increased by fourfold in July, with 23,235 detected infections, the highest number in Chattogram since the onset of the pandemic.

The same scenario was observed regarding deaths. A total of 79 patients died in June, while 261 died in July.

A total of 92,679 patients tested positive for Covid-19 and 1,094 patients died till yesterday, said Dr Sheikh Fazle Rabbi, civil surgeon of Chattogram.

Contacted, Prof Sujat Paul, head of medicine and Covid-19 ward of CMCH, said the ward has 300 beds, but the number of patients was 330 yesterday.

"As a government hospital, we cannot refuse any patient, and so, we have to accommodate them on the floor," he said. "None of the 10 ICU beds was vacant. We had extended the ward to accommodate 300 beds from 200, but now, that too is insufficient."

Contacted, Dr Abdur Rob, a senior consultant of medicine and head of Covid-19 ward at CGH, said patients outnumbered beds in the ward.

"We have added 15 beds this week to cope with the increasing number of patients, but now, the 185-bed ward seems to be insufficient," he said. "Another 60-bed unit of the ward has been opened at Holy Crescent Hospital, but that too is almost occupied."

Dr Rob said all 18 beds of CGH's ICU were filled up.

"Many beds were vacant even in June, but the situation worsened in the middle of July," he said.

"July was worse but August may be the worst, if we do not follow health rules and increase the rate of vaccination," he added.

Asked, Civil Surgeon Fazle Rabbi said some eight out of 169 ICU beds at government and private hospitals in Chattogram were still vacant. "Those too will be filled up soon, if the infection rate increases," he said. "We will start mass vaccination in ward and union levels from next week, and I would like to urge every eligible person to get vaccinated and follow health rules."