Residents of the Vitebsk region will undergo rehabilitation in sanatorium conditions

07/05/20200 views

Vitebsk has an opportunity to give medical workers a respite and carry out intermediate disinfection of hospitals: the load on inpatient facilities due to COVID-19 and pneumonias is decreasing. It has been decided to return some healthcare institutions to their primary profile. Compared to the statistics of two to three weeks ago, the load in Dokshytsy has decreased by approximately 30 percent. The number of patients in Liozno, Postavy, Miory is not increasing, and the situation in Beshenkovichi is largely similar.

The first to be freed up were the buildings of the Vitebsk Regional Clinical Specialized Center (formerly the railway hospital). The majority of patients were discharged, and others were transferred to other healthcare institutions. Large-scale disinfection is currently being completed here. The premises will be empty for several days. Mikhail Vishnevetsky, Head of the Main Healthcare Department of the Vitebsk Regional Executive Committee, explained:

— Since the doctors of this hospital were among the first to join the fight against pneumonias and gained certain experience, we plan to continue to involve them in the treatment of this disease. After disinfection and a temporary respite, the Specialized Center will continue to admit patients with pneumonias. Moreover, other clinics in the city are also undergoing similar intermediate disinfection. In turn, all of them will take a short break. However, the surgical building of the Regional Oncology Dispensary will be the first to return to its specialization — next week it will begin admitting cancer patients, and doctors will be able to perform their usual duties. The second facility we plan to withdraw from the list of those involved in the treatment of bacterial and viral pneumonias is the Regional Clinical Hospital. Both of these medical institutions are particularly important for the residents of the Vitebsk region, as they concentrate the main forces of highly specialized specialists needed by the population.

The situation in regions that were previously on the lists of the most challenging is also encouraging. A significant burden fell, in particular, on the medical staff of Beshenkovichi and Dokshytsy districts, but the specialists are coping with it.

Svetlana Roshchina, Chief Physician of Beshenkovichi Central Regional Hospital, states that a timely developed strategy for combating COVID‑19 helped local doctors to be fully prepared for the surge in morbidity. Even when the first cases of infection were noted in the country, departments at the district hospital were repurposed to receive patients with pneumonia. Moreover, a separate facility was allocated for viral patients – the flows were separated. Doctors underwent training in advance on the correct use of personal protective equipment, and the specifics of diagnosing and treating the new disease. The most severely ill patients were sent to regional institutions.

Dokshytsy medical staff are also enduring the trials with honour. They encountered the first cases of COVID‑19 in early April. There were anxious days when about ten people were admitted to the hospital. Sergey Kubor, Chief Physician of Dokshytsy Central Regional Hospital, says:

— Compared to the peak of morbidity we experienced, we are now in a lull. We hospitalise no more than 1–2 people with pneumonia per day. All four available ventilators and 6 oxygen concentrators are free. Therapists and a pediatrician are working in the affected area, although it should be noted that we have not had and do not have children with confirmed COVID‑19. All specialists are doing a great job, for which they are thanked by several dozen recovered patients. We hope that we have already passed the most difficult period.

His colleagues from other districts of the region hope for the same. The statistics are now in favour of the medical professionals.