Indian Army issues a fact checklist for situation at Base Hospital, Delhi Cantt

Amid pleas for help on social media by several veterans, their families and military personnel, as well as media reports alleging inadequate medical facilities to deal with the rising number of COVID-19 cases, the Indian Army has issued fact checks, seeking to quell concerns.

What does the fact check say about the admission process for COVID-19 affected personnel in Base Hospital, Delhi Cantt (BHDC)?

It has been clarified that there are no long waiting lines at the entrance gates and all the veterans, all personnel and their dependents are guided to the Reception Centre by the Administrative Staff.

Once there, an immediate triaging takes place by qualified medical officers. These medical officers then start separating the patients based on the severity of their diseases. This whole process does not take more than 5-10 minutes, at the end of which based on the recommendations made by the medical officer, they are either advised home isolation or sent for admission.

For those who are to be home isolated, they are being handed over ready-made medical packets to take with them and are given adequate consultations.

So, why the waiting line at the Reception?

The line is due to capacity constraints of the hospital in general states the Fact checklist. According to the fact check list, due to the high number of patients seeking medical assistance and the refusal of ECHS empaneled hospitals to treat the veterans add to the overload in the hospital.

And, a token system has been created which does not differentiate between anyone on the basis of their rank or serving status. This system has been introduced to help in better management of patients.

According to the Indian Army fact check, the waiting line inside is because no patient meriting medical attention and admission is refused. There are no different lines for different categories since all lives are equal.

Efforts are on to enhance the capacities at the Base Hospital. As has been reported in Financial Express Online earlier, the capacity has been increased from 340 beds (including 250 oxygenated beds) to 650 beds, this includes 450 oxygenated beds last month. Work is going to enhance the capacities to 950 oxygenated beds by the end of this month.

It goes on to explain, “Separation of patients who require urgent and life-saving medical intervention from those whose treatment can be delayed by some time is purely a medical decision.”