Hospitals forced to turn away COVID-19 patients in Bihar

Major govt. hospitals ‘filled to capacity’; Minister, two IAS officers among 4,157 new cases in the State

With the number of COVID-19 cases increasing manifold, there are long queues of patients outside hospitals in Patna and bodies waiting for their turn outside cremation grounds. A Minister and two senior Indian Administrative Service officers were among the 4,157 new COVID-19 cases reported in the State over 24 hours. Three big government hospitals in the city — Patna Medical College and Hospital (PMCH), Nalanda Medical College and Hospital (NMCH) and All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS-Patna) — are reportedly filled to capacity. AIIMS is arranging for additional beds, said Sanjiv Kumar, nodal officer for COVID-19 at the hospital. At least 70 ambulances carrying COVID patients had to return from the hospital on Tuesday due to non-availability of beds, he said. Beds in private hospitals like Ruban, Paras, Ford and Jagdish too are full. “New patients can be admitted only after the existing patients are discharged,” said Dr. Satyajeet Singh at Ruban hospital.