The Bhutanese Leading the way.
17 doctors who have superannuated to help look after general OPD while doctors take care of COVID-19 patients
Jigme Dorji Wangchuck National Referral Hospital (JDWNRH) has identified 83 staff to manage the COVID-19 patients, should there be an outbreak. Staff includes medical specialist, resident doctor, GDMO, pediatrician, pediatrician resident, general nurse, laboratory staff, X-ray staff, USG staff, support staff ward boy/girl, wet sweeper, biomedical engineer, plumber, and electrician.
Medical Superintendent, Dr Gosar Pemba, said in terms of distributing health staff to take care of COVID-19 patients, JDWNRH has divided health staff into six teams. Dr Gosar said team one who took care of the Index American patient earlier are already in quarantine. Now, team two will take over the second COVID-19 patient and if the patient requires ICU care then the critical care doctor will be called in.
The additional health staff will only be called if there is a requirement, and depending upon the number of COVID-19 patients. Otherwise, junior doctors will do most of the work, and if the case gets critical then there will be senior doctors as well, said Dr Gosar.
He also said that if more doctors are require to take care of COVID-19 patients then there are 9 doctors who have superannuated and can be called if needed to look after the general OPD and 8 doctors from Khesar Gyalpo University of Medical Sciences of Bhutan (KGUMSB) will also join to continue the service.
Not all the doctors will go for COVID-19 management, Dr Gosar said. The hospital has also requested the ministry to identify a hotel so that the doctors can stay in better rooms.
Dr Gosar also shared that not every COVID-19 patient would need ventilator support. Currently, the hospital has 30 ventilators but all the ventilators cannot be used for the COVID-19 patients because it is also needed for the other patients as well.
The hospital feels that 10 extra ventilators will be enough in JDWNRH for the COVID-19 patients.
A ventilator costs around Nu 1.8 million and the monitor costs around Nu 1 million. According to Dr Gosar, the disease comes in mild, moderate and severe cases, so only patients in critical conditions would need the ventilator support.
Dr Gosar said that now JDWNRH is more prepared than before because of the first COVID-19 case, which helped to test the plans.
Meanwhile, the medical staff that took care of American patient tested negative on the second test. The next test will be done according to the WHO protocol. The doctors and staff in quarantine are not showing any symptoms as of now.
