Special Report: Number of available beds at hospitals decreasing in Sindh

KARACHI: Currently, COVID-19 patients are being at treated 23 public and private hospitals in Sindh. The total number of isolation beds for the COVID-19 patients in these hospitals is 1,214 while a total of 351 beds have been arranged in the high dependency units (HDUs). The number of ventilators available at the intensive care units (ICUs) of these hospitals for COVID-19 patients is 257.

Right now, COVID-19 patients have occupied 201 isolation beds in Sindh while 1,013 beds are still available for new patients. Similarly, 200 HDU beds have been occupied and 151 HDU beds are available. Of the 257 ventilators for the COVID-19 patients in the province, 159 are being currently utilised and 98 are available for new patients.

Among all the cities in Sindh, Karachi is facing the most pressure in terms of its health care infrastructure for COVID-19 patients as only 30 ventilators, 67 HDU beds and 171 isolation beds are available in the city for new patients.

Around 92 per cent of COVID-19 patients in Sindh have isolated themselves at their homes. The number of such patients is 14,910. Meanwhile, 99 patients are being looked after in the isolation centre and 1,170 treated at the hospitals.

As the number of available beds at the hospitals has been decreasing with more and more patients getting admitted to the health facilities, new COVID-19 patients have been facing severe issues. Many hospitals do not have any further space for new COVID-19 patients, due to which they refer new patients to other hospitals. However, many a time, the other hospitals also excuse them because of no available beds.

There is a need for a referral system in these circumstances. If the Sindh government establishes a system through which patients can get information at home regarding availability of beds and ventilators at the hospitals, they can reach the right health facility in case of an emergency without delay and therefore, the chances of their survival will be higher.

According to the Sindh health department, Civil Hospital Karachi, Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto Accident and Trauma Centre, Dow University Ojha Campus, Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre, Sindh Government Services Hospital Karachi, Lyari General Hospital, National Institute of Child Health (NICH), Indus Hospital, Sindh Institute of Urology and Transplantation (SIUT), Dr Ziauddin Hospital Clifton, Dr Ziauddin Hospital North Nazimabad and Aga Khan University Hospital (AKUH) have been treating COVID-19 patients in Karachi.

In the rest of Sindh, COVID-19 patients are receiving treatment at Liaquat University Hospital Jamshoro, Institute of Chest Diseases Kotri, Bilawal Bhutto Medical College Hospital Kotri, People's Medical College Hospital Shaheed Benazirabad, Khairpur Medical College Hospital, Pir Abdul Qadir Shah Jilani Institute of Medical Sciences Gambat, Ghulam Muhammad Mahar Medical College Sukkur, Syed Abdullah Shah Institute of Medical Sciences Sehwan, Indus Hospital Badin, Jacobabad Institute of Medical Sciences and Chandka Medical College Hospital Larkana.

Currently, in the Civil Hospital Karachi, all the 12 ventilators in the ICU are in use. Of the 87 beds in its HDU, 36 are occupied and 57 are spare. Of the 47 isolation beds at the health facility, 21 are occupied and 27 are available for new patients.

In the Shaheed Benazir Bhutto Accident and Trauma Centre, of the 26 ventilators, 25 are in use and only one is available for another patient. Similarly, only two of the 28 beds in the HDU of the trauma centre are available as the remaining 26 are occupied.

All the 10 ventilators in the ICU of the Dow University Ojha Campus are in use. Likewise, all the six beds in its HDU are occupied, while of the 45 isolation beds, 42 are occupied and three can be used by new patients.

At the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre, 23 of the 24 ventilators in the ICU are in use. In its 14-bed HDU, all the beds are occupied. Meanwhile, no isolation beds have been arranged for COVID-19 patients at the hospital.

All of the 25 ventilators at the Sindh Government Services Hospital Karachi’s ICU are available for patients. The ICU has been established recently. However, no HDU beds and isolation beds have been arranged at the health facility for people infected with the novel coronavirus.

All the 13 ventilators at the Lyari General Hospital are occupied. In its 30-bed HDU, 19 beds are occupied and 11 free. All the 140 isolation beds at the health facility are currently available.

All the two ventilators at the NICH’s ICU are in use. Of the four beds in its HDU, two are occupied and as many available. There is no isolation bed for COVID-19 patients at the health facility.

Of the 14 ventilators at the ICU of the Indus Hospital Karachi, 13 are currently in use and one is available for new patients. All the 13 beds in the HDU and 14 isolation beds at the health facility are occupied.

All the 10 ventilators, 30 HDU beds and 30 isolation beds at the SIUT are occupied.

Among the private hospitals in Karachi, all the four ventilators and six HDU beds at the Dr Ziauddin Hospital Clifton are in use. However, of the 10 isolation beds there, eight are occupied and two available.

At the Dr Ziauddin Hospital North Nazimabad, all the six ventilators and 13 of the 14 HDU beds are occupied. However, all the 36 isolation beds at the hospital are available.

At the AKUH’s ICU, all the 16 ventilators are in use. Similarly, all of its 22 HDU beds and 25 isolation beds are occupied.

At the Liaquat University Hospital Jamshoro, eight of the 20 ventilators in the ICU are occupied and the remaining 12 are available for new patients. Only five of the 20 beds in the HDU are occupied and 15 available, while of its 37 isolation beds, three are occupied and 34 available.

There is no ventilator at the Institute of Chest Diseases Kotri where all the 12 beds in the HDU and 199 out of 200 isolation beds are available for new patients.

All of the three ventilators at the Bilawal Bhutto Medical College Hospital Kotri are available. At the Peoples Medical College Shaheed Benazirabad, none of the 14 ventilators, 12 HDU beds and 100 isolation beds is in use.

The Khairpur Medical College Hospital has no ventilator. None of its 10 beds in the HDU and 80 isolation beds is currently in use.

Pir Abdul Qadir Shah Jilani Institute of Medical Sciences Gambat has 17 ventilators, of which 11 are currently in use and six free. All of its 10 beds in the HDU and 30 isolation beds are available.

Of the four ventilators at the Ghulam Muhammad Mahar Medical College Sukkur, one is occupied and three are available. All its 10 HDU beds and 200 isolation beds are available.

At the Syed Abdullah Shah Institute of Medical Sciences Sehwan, there are eight ventilators, of which two are in use and six free. There are eight beds in its HDU and four of them are occupied. All of its 20 isolation beds are also occupied.

All the four ventilators at the Indus Hospital Badin are available for use.

All the two ventilators and three HDU beds at the Jacobabad Institute of Medical Sciences are currently not in use.

At the Chandka Medical College Hospital Larkana, there are 22 ventilators, of which four are in use and 18 available. All of its four HDU beds are occupied. However, none of the 80 isolation beds at the hospital is currently occupied.