Attendant can stay with Covid patient at GMSH, but can’t go out

Sandeep Rana

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, May 2

The Government Multi-Specialty Hospital (GMSH), Sector 16, authorities today brought in strict regulations in its Covid ward following a report published in Chandigarh Tribune highlighting the issue.

The hospital staff and attendants of Covid patients have been directed that no attendant will move out of the Covid ward. They also instructed that the family attendant will not change during the time his/her patient is admitted.

Earlier, in the day the attendants were asked to stay outside the Covid ward. However, some attendants requested they wanted to remain with their kin following which they were allowed. They were directed to strictly adhere to the Covid-appropriate behaviour like wearing a mask and gloves.

The GMSH authorities reasoned since they were short-staffed, they could not have enough hospital attendants and kin would have to stay along, at least for old patients.

A government bank official, whose father is admitted at the hospital, said, “In the morning, we were asked to stay out of the Covid ward. But we requested them to let us stay inside the ward with our kin. At least one attendant per patient must be allowed.

Only things like nobody goes out should be monitored. Otherwise treatment is very good here.”

Another attendant said, “So many non-Covid persons staying, eating and sleeping with the patients will have a big risk of virus transmission. The hospital should have more attendants to manage things as they wear PPE kits and take better medical care. Till yesterday, many inside the ward were without mask and going outside too.”

Dr Amandeep Kang, Director, Health Services, UT, had already said they were short of staff and in the process of hiring more doctors and nurses.

The hospital has about 225 patients, including 75 critical.