Growing crisis at RMCH

It's deeply worrying that Rajshahi Medical College Hospital (RMCH), the central hospital in the division, is struggling with a growing crisis of ventilators and ICU beds amidst a surge in Covid-19 infections. The hospital is turning into a Covid hotspot, with more patients hitting its doors, many of them turned away because of lack of capabilities. On Friday, at least 225 patients were reportedly undergoing treatment at its Covid-19 unit, while more than 40 other patients were waiting for an ICU bed. In the 24 hours until that morning, at least 16 people had died from Covid-19 there—it was the highest single-day death toll reported by the hospital, amounting to nearly half of the fatalities recorded across the country.

The crisis at RMCH is unfolding against the backdrop of a fast-deteriorating Covid-19 situation in the bordering areas. Four districts of Rajshahi division are reported to be particularly suffering, with varying but still very high positivity rates. Although the authorities are yet to heed calls for a "complete lockdown" in those districts because of economic priorities, partial lockdown and night-time travel restrictions have been imposed in some places. We're not convinced if these measures will work given how fast the virus is spreading, thanks to the deadlier and more infectious variants. The challenge right now is two-fold: containing rising infections and providing treatment to more patients. Both need serious attention.

Unfortunately, the official response to what some have described as the "third" wave of Covid-19 has been most frustrating so far. Nor are the people in general showing any signs that they've learned the importance of doing their part in reducing community transmission. While the government must come up with better plans to contain the virus and make people obey, it should also pay equal attention to increasing testing facilities and sufficiently equipping hospitals, especially those in border districts, so they can provide treatment to more patients. Restrictions, testing, treatment and inoculation—no one measure, public or private, will work unless all of them do.

The crisis of ventilators and ICU beds in RMCH and other hospitals in Rajshahi (and similarly affected regions) must urgently be resolved. We have had over a year to learn from and prepare for this crisis. This must not be the moment when we fail to deliver. We urge the government and local administrations to rise up to the challenge of reinvigorating our Covid-19 response considering the gravity of the situation.