Victoria Hospital doesn't have a ventilator

Burns ward in Victoria Hospital, run by the State government, which is the only full-fledged government facility to treat patients with severe burns, has a major shortcoming - lack of a ventilator.

According to a senior doctor in the hospital, this 60-bed ward does not have a ventilator facility and each time a patient is admitted to the burns ward and is in need of ventilator support, he is moved to another unit.

This fact came to light after Mallikarjuna, 20, a victim of Tuesday’s KR Puram bus accident, was admitted to the hospital with burns. A day later, he was discharged from Victoria Hospital for want of ventilator.

Mallikarjuna, who was in critical condition after suffering burns in the bike-bus collision, had to be put on ventilator as he had breathing problems. However, due to unavailability of the same, he was put on artificial manual breathing unit, according to doctors who attended to him.

He is presently being treated in a private hospital. “The family was told on Tuesday about the need for ventilator support. Since they were from a lower economic background, they told us that they might not be able to get him treated in a private hospital. On Wednesday, the family was able to make some arrangement and got him discharged,” a doctor from the hospital said.

Another doctor, on condition of anonymity, said it was one of the most essential facilities needed to treat burns especially when the patient has a history of respiratory problems.
When contacted, Minister for Medical Education Sharan Prakash Patil said the shortcoming was not brought to his notice. He added that during his recent visit to the hospital, an all-department meeting was called to discuss the requirements in every department.

“I have asked them to come up with a list of requirements. If doctors in charge of the burns ward point out that it is essential, necessary measures will be taken,” Patil said.