Covid-19: Ghaziabad hospital faces safety kit shortage

GHAZIABAD: The District Combined Hospital is facing severe shortage of hand sanitisers and personal protective equipment (PPE) kits needed to deal with suspected Covid-19 patients. Hospital sources said they have apprised the district health department of the current situation and also written to the director of epidemic. The hospital has already placed an order but waiting for the stock to arrive.
“We need 10-12 PPE kits every day to visit the suspected patients in the isolation ward.The materials required for sample collection are also available in a limited number. The way the number is going up, it will be difficult to deal with the situation,” sources said.
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The hospital has four infrared thermometers, which are sufficient to deal with patients at the coronavirus fever clinic. However, there is no such issue at MMG District Hospital as there is enough stock of PPE kits and sanitisers.
When contacted, district magistrate Ajay Shankar Pandey refuted claims of any short supply of sanitisers or other essential items at any of the government hospitals.
At the same time, the district administration has directed all chemist shops in the district to display the availability of stock of hand sanitisers and masks along with their prices. The district is facing a huge shortage of such products.
Moreover, the administration has directed the drugs department to monitor the stock at shops and stockists.