Faced with an increasing number of COVID-19 cases in Ahmedabad and the shortage of beds, the Ahmedabad Hospitals and Nursing Homes Association has come out with guidelines for admitting COVID-19 patients in the hospitals.
Out of the 1,495 new cases reported in Gujarat in the 24 hours ended at 5pm on Sunday, 318 were reported from Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation limits only. For the last two days, people are being admitted to hospitals in Karamsad, more than 75 kilometres away from Ahmedabad. The highest number of deaths were also reported during the period from Ahmedabad. Out of the 13 persons who lost their lives to COVID-19 in Gujarat on Sunday, eight were from Ahmedabad.
AHNA president Dr. Bharat Ghadavi said that majority of the people are preferring to get admitted in a private hospital and there is a shortage of beds in the current scenario.
The guidelines for admission were formed at an emergency meeting of COVID-19 experts of AHNA on Sunday.
In between, there were reports that private hospitals in Ahmedabad are filling up the beds 'artificially' by admitting patients who do not require hospitalisation.
The doctors came out with criteria, which include high-risk patients above 60 years of age, patients with co-morbid conditions, chronic conditions, fever over 101 degree Fahrenheit for three days, SPO2 less than 94 on room air and lung complications.
The committee decided that ultimately the decision of admitting the patient will be of the treating doctor as it is difficult to list down all conditions.
AHNA has made standard protocols for the treatment of patients with injectable anti-virals at home or in a daycare setting. The protocols have been made available to the treating doctors.
