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State institutes fall like dominoes to COVID-19
People and institutions like the Department of Immigration and Emigration and the Department of Motor Traffic fell like dominoes in the COVID-19 rampage.
This COVID-19 tsunami is causing a hospital overload, while among those seeking treatment, there are more patients with severe disease needing oxygen.
The Sunday Times learnt that home-based care in the Western Province for asymptomatic and mildly symptomatic patients who are not in a high-risk category had ‘slightly’ eased the huge number of patients rushing to hospitals but hospitals were still facing very large numbers.
“Many patients are critically ill and need oxygen. Very soon, the oxygen may run out,” said a senior doctor, pointing out that Sri Lanka would not only need to look at oxygen stocks but also the stocks of devices used to deliver oxygen.
These include nasal prongs; normal face masks; face masks with reservoir; high-flow nasal cannulae (HFNC); devices needed for Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) therapy; and ventilators.
The doctor pointed out, “Then would come the issue whether we have enough staff to monitor these oxygen-dependent patients.”
The Secretary of the Public Health Inspectors’ (PHIs’) Union, M. Balasooriya, said that “it is already too late for a lockdown as all districts have been hit by the virus”. There will be an even further increase in the number of infections and deaths.
“The government needs to re-impose some of the restrictions and not permit offices to get their workforce to come in physically. Last week, all reported positive cases were from weddings, functions, funerals and parties. These should be prohibited,” he said.
Mr. Balasooriya recommended that Rapid Antigen Tests and RT-PCR Tests should be carried out on target groups mandatorily so that the distribution of cases district-wise could be compiled.
Referring to infections in the health sector, he explained that only the required number of staff should be brought in, otherwise if three or four become infected, all contacts need to be quarantined, disabling services.
With regard to the heavy workload being handled by PHIs, Mr. Balasooriya said that around 2,700 PHIs are working at optimum capacity. If no action is taken immediately to control the situation in the next couple of days, the quarantine process will collapse and a breakdown will occur in the hospitalisation of patients.
“There is an economic crisis but taking decisions to solve only the economic problem will be detrimental to the country. We will have to suffer the consequences,” he said.
He urged that data on infections and deaths should be tabulated correctly. People undergo Rapid Antigen Tests but it is doubtful whether they are included in the national data. People should also be told the truth about what is happening at ground level.
“You can’t curtail a pandemic by tinkering with the data,” he added.
When asked how many PHIs have contracted COVID-19, he said that more than 50 have been affected.
People not being able to contact PHIs
Fielding criticism that PHIs are not responding to positive people’s calls, Mr. Balasooriya said that there are only 2,700 PHIs for a population of 21 million.
He said that these PHIs have to carry out responsibilities not only with regard to COVID-19 but also dengue, food hygiene and more.Controlling the pandemic has been a priority. When a person tests positive, he/she has to be isolated or hospitalised and his/her contacts quarantined for 14 days.
“If it is just one person, then it’s not a problem, but the present situation in Colombo, Gampaha, Kalutara, Kurunegala, Puttalam and Chilaw is bad. A PHI has around 15,000-20,000 people under him and with 10-15 positive cases being reported daily, one can see the workload,” he said.
Suggesting that if the PHI in an area does not answer the phone, the positive person should check the website for his number and send him an SMS, he added that the Grama Niladhari and police have also been given responsibility with regard to patient concerns.
| Problem of unidentified bodies due to stigma The Steering Committee for COVID-19 control in Gampaha faced a problem as some bodies were not claimed by relatives due to stigma, said PHIs’ Union Secretary M. Balasooriya, explaining that when this happens, on the instructions of the Judicial Medical Office (JMO), these bodies were taken to the Oddamavadiburial site by the army and police. He said he was unable to give numbers, as about five people were dying per hour. Mr. Balasooriya conceded that in the last couple of days, the Western Province had a problem, but these bodies have now been taken for burial. Crematoriums run on gas and there are time limits to ensure there is no overheating or breakdowns, he added. | |