Deenanath Mangeshkar Hospital is the largest private medical facility in Pune city to treat almost 2,275 COVID-19 patients in the last 3 months from 15^th April to 15^th July. At the non-COVID building of the Mangeshkar Hospital in the same premises, each visitor was thoroughly checked as others wearing masks waited patiently for their turn at the out-patient department to seek treatment for other ailments.

Besides, Sassoon General Hospital, a government facility, two other private hospitals Bharati and Symbiosis hospitals are also engaged in COVID-19 treatment since April. 1,100 COVID-19 patients have received treatment at Bharati hospital, whereas Symbiosis hospital has treated approximately 1,500 patients.

Dr Dhananjay Kelkar, medical director at Deenanath Mangeshkar Hospital, told that high-flow oxygen therapy is saving lives, as Pune moves towards the 50,000-mark in total COVID-19 cases. Dr Kelkar further said that the 800-bed hospital had set apart 400 beds with 40 beds in the intensive care unit (ICU) to treat coronavirus patients. Critical care experts strongly feel that the non-invasive oxygen therapy is very effective.

Medical director at Bharati hospital, Dr Sanjay Lalwani, said that the surge in cases had begun and might peak around September. He stated that the hospital had 250 beds, and wards are categorized as COVID wards with co-morbidities, COVID ICU ward, and COVID ward with oxygen beds and so on. Almost 400 patients are treated at the ICU and 160 patients are ventilated. 80 patients have succumbed to the infection and 35 to 40 patients, who were ventilated can be saved. Dr Lalwani further said that at least 75 staff members at Bharati hospital were infected, and it was a challenge to manage patients. Also, in the last week, more critical patients were seen.

CEO of Symbiosis hospital, Dr Vijay Natarajan, said that the hospital has 500 beds, including 60 beds with oxygen supply and 30 ICU beds. In the beginning, patients who came in between April and May had mild symptoms and there were plenty of isolation beds. But as the cases are turning serious, they definitely require continuous supply of oxygen cylinders.

Dr Kelkar said that 1,700 patients had been recovered and sent back home and additional 1,200 patients were kept under medical observation but had chosen for home isolation. Dr Lalwani said that at Bharati hospital, they started counselling patients in the last eight days and almost 250 patients with mild symptoms had chosen to stay at home.

Source: The Indian Express