ABSTRACT
Covid -19 second wave was considered a disaster in India as it was more havoc than the first one. Shortness of breath in patients leads to more demand for oxygen and hospitalization. So, there was a challenge for the hospitals to combat this disease. In the covid second wave, moderate to severe cases were treated at three hospital levels (CHC, Sub-district, and District hospital). This disease was not limited to bigger cities but spread to rural and hilly areas. We conducted quantitative research among government hospitals in five hilly districts of Uttarakhand at three levels of hospitals. Data were collected from a close-ended questionnaire using a judgmental sampling technique and analysed with the help of tables and bar charts. Questions were set based on the pilot study. The challenges explored through this study were divided into five main headings and eleven sub-headings. The main headings were Manpower, Surge capacity, logistics, coordination, and management of non-covid patients. Sub-headings were a shortage of medical staff, shortage of paramedical staff, shortage of sweepers, shortage of ambulance drivers, shortage of ICU beds, shortage of oxygen beds, shortage of covid drugs (Remdesivir and Steroids), oxygen cylinders, PPE kits, difficulty in coordination with staff and difficulty in managing non- covid patients.Copyright © 2022 Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications. All rights reserved.
ABSTRACT
COVID-19 has rapidly impacted on mortality worldwide. Early identification of COVID-19 cases in community at high risk of death can enhance patient treatment and resource allocation. The goal of this study is to identify the characteristics of COVID-19 mortality cases in Kubang Pasu districts in 2021. Data on mortality cases in the year 2021 in Kubang Pasu district were collected, extracted and analyzed. There are 210 (1.9%) mortality cases had been recorded in 2021 due to COVID-19 infection form 11019 COVID-19 cases in Kubang Pasu district. The mortality cases consist of 108(51%) female and 102(49%) male. The highest mortality cases involved the age group of more than 70 years old with 73 (34.8%) cases. The highest race was Malay 193(91.9%), followed by non-Malaysian(2.9%), Chinese 4(1.9%), Siamese 4(1.9%) and Indian 3(1.4%) respectively. Most of the mortality cases are unvaccinated 153 (72.9%). The most coomon cause of death is due to COVID-19 pneumonia with 205 (97.5%) cases. Majority of the cases were screen through symptomatic screening and close contact screening 86 (40.9%) cases and 52 (24.8%) respectively. Among the mortality cases, there are 22(10.5%) brought-in-death cases which 19 (86%) cases are Malay. Most of the brought-in-death cases are unvaccinated, 19 (86%) cases, incomplete vaccine 1 (5%) case and 2 (9%) cases completed vaccine. The highest number of mortality cases occur among those with age more than 70. It involved mostly among Malay race and they were unvaccinated. Lung complication is the main cause of death since most of the mortality cases passed away due to pneumonia. This high number of mortality and BID cases might be attributed to poor health-seeking behaviour among the Kubang Pasu population with COVID-19. Promotion activities about COVID-19 and vaccine should be strengthened further to improve the knowledge and actions towards COVID-19 in community. © 2022, Malaysian Journal of Public Health Medicine. All Rights Reserved.