While railway personnel are scouting for vacant beds in city, about 60 oxygenated beds at Divisional Railway Hospital are awaiting patients. The fully-equipped hospital was kept in readiness to be used when required for treating COVID-19 patients, but for last one year, the authorities, that of railways as per Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC), could not decide on date to start treatment at the facility. Last year though twice survey was conducted by civic team, non provision of centralised oxygen facility got flagged as major hindrance and hence the facility could not be used. Now all the 60 beds on first floor are now fully oxygenated, still the railway personnel are denied benefit of the facility built through public funds.

 

As of today, finding a vacant bed at a hospital in city is an herculean task for needy while railway officials are not showing any urgency in opening the facility for treatment of COVID-19 positive patients. Earlier, in a run up to setting dedicated Covid Hospital, emergency purchases were made by the railway authorities. So fast was the purchases that they left behind other Government Hospital far behind and none could match their speed and zeal to mop up required material. For example, the Railway hospital has 12 ventilators, a big thing today given the requirement for the same in aftermath of second wave of COVID-19 that has emerged as serious health issue in city. But these ventilators were lying unutilised for past one year and as of today if needed many may face issue of booting-up. The wrappers on these machines have not been removed as yet while people and railway personnel battled it out in city hospital for the ventilator beds. National Railway Mazdoor Union (NRMU) raised the issue with NMC authorities about granting permission for Divisional Railway Hospital for treating COVID-19 patients.

 

Habib Khan, Working President, NRMU, Headquarters, said that it's really a scary scenario in city today and railway personnel to are caught in spate of positive cases that are rising each and every day. Within a fortnight almost 12 railway personnel have lost their lives and not to mention the suffering of retired railway staff who are unable to find empty beds due to overflowing numbers of patients at all private hospital that have tie-up with railways. Apart from that, hospital officials have also stocked-up about 150 oxygen cylinders that could be readily deployed whenever necessary. Similarly, ample numbers of B pap and C pap, they are used when oxygen is to be provided, and they too are lying in hospital store for want of use. About 15,000 PPE kits of high quality were also purchased during March last year and for want to utilisation fungus has started developing on it and same may have to be destroyed.

 

Also the hospital has stocked-up on emergency injections to ensure that they do not fall short when needed by railway personnel. But all these investment may go waste if hospital does not undertake treatment for COVID-19. The NRMU raised the issued with Divisional Railway Manager (DRM) Richa Khare and asked her to expedite the matter of starting COVID-19 treatment at railway hospital. Talking to The Hitavada, Khan said they talked to Municipal Commissioner Radhakrishnan B who was positive about granting recognition to Divisional Railway Hospital but said the proposal has to come for the same from Central Railway authorities. A major hindrance on part of railway authorities was apprehension that in case COVID-19 centre is started at hospital, it is located within campus of DRM office, there could be threat to personnel since Operation Control Rooms are within same area. But in city one can find Dedicated Covid Hospital functioning in residential area without any report of transmission of infection. This reluctance on part of senior railway officials have now finally given way and a separate entrance is planned for hospital through Mohan Nagar side. Debashish Bhattacharya, Divisional President, S K Jha, Divisional Secretary, Manoj Chouthani, also present with Khan during talks with Municipal Commissioner.