Covid-19: CHT hospitals struggling due to shortage of high flow nasal cannulas

Critically ill coronavirus patients of Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) are being referred to Chattogram due to shortage of high flow nasal cannula in CHT hospitals.

There are only five high-flow nasal cannulas in hospitals of the hill districts --Rangamati, Bandarban and Khagrachhari, according to sources at the hospitals. The hospitals in these districts are struggling with an increasing number of coronavirus patients in the last few days, said authorities of the hospitals.

Doctors of the hospitals said the district Sadar hospitals and the upazila level hospitals are ill-equipped and understaffed to tackle the crisis.

"The central oxygen system is still under process while there is only one high flow nasal cannula in Rangamati Sadar Hospital", said Showkat Akber Hossain, resident medical officer (RMO) of the hospital.

"We have to refer critical patients to Chattogram as there is no adequate support," he said.

Rangamati's focal person on Covid-19 Dr Mostafa Kamal said "There are 1828 positive case in Rangamati with 55 people found positive in last two days."

"Though oxygen plant was installed here on January, there is only one high flow nasal cannula and no RT-PCR machine in Khagrachhari Sadar Hospital" said RMO Dr Ripon Bappi.

"There are three ICU beds and three ventilators which were not installed," said Dr Ripon.

According to Khagrachhari civil surgeon's office, the infection rate is 35.87 percent and one person died in the last 24 hours.

Dr Mitan Chakam, deputy civil surgeon of Khagrachhari said "The infection rate in the district was on the rise and if it continues, the situation will be dire."

"It will be tough for us to tackle the situation if infection rate continuously increases," he said.

"We have five oxygen cylinders but we have to send them to Chattogram for refill", said Md Mohiuddin, health official of Khagrachhari's Manikchhari upazila.

"Central oxygen system was installed in Bandarban and there are three high flow nasal cannulas but no RT-PCR machine" said Civil Surgeon Dr Aung Swi Prue Marma. 

"There are two ventilators and three ICU beds which were not installed yet," said the civil surgeon.

Officials believe the highly contagious Delta variant of the virus is responsible for the deteriorating scenario in three hill districts.

Bandarban civil surgeon said despite repeated pleas, the authorities concerned are yet to take any steps to install PCR lab in the district.

"We have 19 oxygen cylinders, but the reason why that is a problem is because we can use only 9 at a time. We do not have any method of refilling oxygen cylinders in Thanchi upazila or Bandarban sadar, so we have to send the cylinders to Chattogram. We send 10 at a time", said Dr Wahiduzzaman, Thanchi upazila health official.