Covid ICU

RGGGH being one of the pioneer institutions in India, had been the torch bearer on many occasions. RGGGH saw the state’s first ever case of the COVID-19 pandemic on 7th March, 2020. Ever since then, RGGGH had treated around 30,000 cases of COVID patients as up to the Covid-19 second wave in November 2021.

Samples were initially sent to Kings Institute, Guindy for RT-PCR, later it was started here in RGGGH by 19th of March 2020. Started with 200 samples per day, and it has been extended to test around 4000 samples per day. RGGGH has tested around 5,92,226 samples as on 04.02.2021.

Starting with 20 beds with full-fledged ICU facilities for COVID-19 in Tower 2 of RGGGH, it’s been gradually extended with 150 beds, 80 of these were ICU beds with 60 ventilators and 20 HFNO machines in Rheumatology block. Later a comprehensive facility was established in Tower 3 of RGGGH which caters COVID-19 OPD, RT-PCR Lab, Radiological investigations, zero delay ward and ICU, taking up the total COVID bed strength of RGGGH to 1618, the highest in the state. RGGGH was equipped with 435 ICU beds and 265 ventilators and HFNO at the peak of second wave. Bed occupancy was around 1083 during the month of November 2020, the highest ever during the pandemic.

To ensure a continuous oxygen supply, two new 22KL O₂ plants were installed to combat the need during the pandemic apart from one existing 22KL O₂ plant.

Some of the key innovations implemented in RGGGH helped us fight the pandemic in a systematic manner. A few of them need special mention:

• Pre-arrival intimation number for better planning
• An exclusive and comprehensive outpatient department with efficient triaging facility which enables quicker and swifter process in less time
• Zero delay ward enabling early initiation of treatment for sick patients. Around 9000 patients were initiated with early treatment here
• Battery-operated ambulance car with O₂ facility which facilitates a safer inter-facility transfer
• Development and display of standard management protocol and customised case sheets to ensure universal treatment and care
• Specialty teams for expert opinion on patients with comorbid illness and daily death audit by an eminent team resulted in a significant reduction in the mortality over time
• Effective manpower management by pooling in of all specialties, incentivizing hospital workers, dedicated RT-PCR sample collection centre and dedicated wards for HCPs gained trust and confidence in the HCPs fighting the pandemic
• Communication made hassle free with WhatsApp groups among treating personnel, walkie-talkie and android mobile for inter-facility communication
• Specialised diet for COVID-19 patients to ensure the nutrition and hydration for a faster recovery
• Psychiatric counselling to all COVID-19 patients helped them in regaining their mental health
• Post-COVID Follow-up clinic, the first of its kind in the state, which aims to counteract the post COVID sequelae with a vision to avoid or limit the long-term effects of the disease if any
• Exclusive dialysis unit for COVID-19 patients

Despite hardships, we the team of RGGGH have successfully treated COVID positive patients with malignancies of varied degrees and patients with critical illnesses.

While the hospital was dedicatedly rendering COVID services, RGGGH also continued to provide uninterrupted non-COVID essential and lifesaving services during the crisis period.

RGGGH, the apex institution of the state, stands tall in all fronts and the smile on every patient’s face has a success story in each. Proper triage, timely intervention and standard protocol, committed workforce and planned execution makes every success a possible one.