RIMS to buy PPE

IMPHAL, Mar 23: RIMS has geared up to purchase personnel protection equipment (PPE) from private firms for use by doctors and paramedical staff while testing swabs for COVID-19.
Talking with The Sangai Express, RIMS Director Dr Ahanthem Santa underscored the need for stocking adequate number of PPE in view of the surging cases of COVID-19 across the country.
Given the highly contagious nature of novel coronavirus, it is mandatory for all doctors and paramedical staff to wear PPE while testing any sample, Dr Santa said.
PPE should be provided by the Government of India through the State Government.
But the problem is unavailability of PPE, not paucity of fund.
“India is facing shortage of PPE at the moment. As such, instead of waiting for the Government of India to send PPE, we have started talking with local pharmacies to purchase whatever number of PPE available in the market”, said the RIMS Director.
Even if any case of COVID-19 is detected in the State, it does not necessarily mean all the infected persons should be hospitalised or kept on ventilators. Only around 15 per cent of infected people would be hospitalised.
Again out of the total persons hospitalised, only around 10 per cent will require ventilators, Dr Santa said.
Informing that there are 19 ventilators at RIMS, he said that around 10 other ventilators would arrive at the hospital within a week.
Around 70 ventilators were ordered in a separate development, not connected with coronavirus. All the orders for ventilators would be delivered soon, he said.
In addition to the existing isolation ward which has eight beds, the trauma centres which are ready for inauguration may be used for housing COVID-19 infected people if their number rises, Dr Santa added.