Kerala: Private hospitals chalk out plans to ensure smooth service – ET HealthWorld

Kochi: Majority of the private hospital managements in the city had an internal disaster management meeting on Tuesday to chalk out an action plan amid incessant rains that continued to lash Kerala resulting in rising water levels in rivers in some parts of the state.

Learning from the 2018 floods, when services in many of the major private hospitals in the district were badly affected, this time the hospitals have kept a disaster action plan ready to ensure patient safety as well as safety of all hospital equipment and medicines.

Besides, hospitals are also stocking up water, diesel to use in generators in case there is power failure, essential food grains like rice and pulses, antivenoms and medicines.

“Heavy rainfall can lead to flooding, landslides, accidents or drowning. To tackle these challenges, we have strengthened our emergency and trauma units, operations theatres and placed more doctors and staff here,” said Rajagiri Hospital medical superintendent Dr Sunny P Orathel.

Amrita hospital also has kept a team of doctors and paramedical staff ready to work in relief camps in coordination with the government, if needed. “We are coordinating with various teams and departments and continuously reviewing the arrangements in the hospital to ensure patient and equipment safety,” said Amrita hospital medical superintendent Dr K V Beena.

Meanwhile, hospitals have not only planned for the stay of their staff on the campus, but they are also ensuring pick up and drop if transport services are affected due to flooding. But unlike 2018, the hospitals said that this time there won’t be any shortage of oxygen as now in the Covid world, most of the hospitals have additional facilities for oxygen storage. Besides, to prevent water from entering the hospital premises, they have purchased pumps to suck out excess water and placed sand bags.