Tuesday January 5, 2021 at 10:30 a.m. at the KKU Radio Station for the Community, FM. 103 – Assoc. Prof. Songsak Kiatchusakul, M.D., Director of Srinagarind Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University joined the radio program broadcast, with Mrs. Benjamaporn Mamuk as the program moderator.
Assoc. Prof. Songsak Kiatchusakul, M.D. said in the program, “Covid-19 spread in Uhan, China for the first time in December, 2019. Ever since that time, the virus has by their nature, adjusted themselves and so now the virus have developed into 7-8 varieties, enabling themselves also to be contracted and spread more easily. More than half of the patients who have been infected do not show any symptoms, making the pandemic disperse more during this phase than the first phase.
Presently, the number of infected people increases very fast owing to 2 factors: 1) easier infection and 2) the screening by the state is more pro-active, resulting in discovering a greater number of people with positive test result. However, although the percentage of infection during the second phase is higher, the severity is not as high as the last phase. The factor making the patient having severe symptoms is age for most of the case. The elderly has less immunity than people at younger ages or working ages. Moreover, those with congenital diseases such as chronic renal disease, diabetes, and hypertension, have more chances to be infected with greater severity than the healthy people.”
In addition, Assoc. Prof. Songsak Kiatchusakul, M.D. mentioned about the measures taken against Covid-19 at Srinagarind Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University: “Our measures are based principally on the country’s measures, which have changed from the first phase in many aspects. Firstly, the patient must be moved the least in order to reduce the spread of the virus. According to the policy, if a patient is found at the hospital with the potential to give the treatment, then the patient will be admitted at this hospital at once. In Khon Kaen, the potentialities of hospitals vary. Therefore, there was a meeting to discuss the policy for prevention among the hospitals in Khon Kaen, which agreed on the following:
In case a patient having Covis-19 is found at a hospital and the hospital has inadequate potential to treat the patient, then the patient must be transferred to any of the 3 following bigger hospitals with the capacity: Chumpae Hospital, Sirinthorn Hospital and Kranuan Hospital. If the patient is at a critical stage and requires specific equipment for the treatment, then he or she must be transferred to either of the 2 hospitals. i.e., Khon Kaen Center Hospital and Srinagarind Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University. The zone to accept such patients and treatment will be clearly specified.
Meetings will be held every one or two weeks to conclude and suggest the measures to be taken against the spread of Covid-19.
Besides, Khon Kaen Province has planned to build a field hospital in case there are many patients and the hospitals are not able to admit all of them. At first, the plan is to be able to accept 80 patients. Then we have to wait and see how many more patients there will be. Doctors from various hospitals will be asked to join the central team and help taking care of the patients at the field hospital.
In addition, Srinagarind Hospital has adjusted the plan to prevent the spread of Covid -19 since 2 weeks ago, by distinguishing the plan at 5 levels based on the national measures, with 13 related organizations joining. We are confident to be able to face the situation.”
“The 5 levels are as follows:
Level 1: Infection is detected in foreigners only.
Level 2: Few Thais are infected and the situation can be controlled.
Level 3: The virus spreads widely and rapidly from people in the country, but within the controllable scope.
Level 4: The virus spread rapidly from people in the country, and fewer than 10 infected patients are found in Khon Kaen. This situation is still controllable.
Level 5: The spread of the virus is rapid and more than 10 patients are found in Khon Kaen, or there are continuing patients being admitted at Srinagarind Hospital.
For each level, strict measures to control the situation will be taken. Now, Khon Kaen is at Level 4 of risk. The screening measures will be intensive at various points in the hospital and those not having any business at the hospital will be screened out. Besides, Srinagarind Hospital has been given the Covid checking equipment from Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Sirindhorn and quite a number of medical kits from His Majesty King Rama X.
Srinagarind Hospital has assigned the doctors at the hospital to assist in other aspects such as home delivery of drugs in order to decrease the risk in the patients coming to the hospital on their own. In case the patients have to undergo operations, then they can come to the hospital as usual. In the future, if the situation progressed to Level 5, the hospital will take the measure to decrease the number of operations in order to optimally reduce the crowdedness. Therefore, we are confident that the measures Srinagarind Hospital is taking against Covid-19 will cover all levels of situations.”
News / Photos: Seksan Nahuanin, a student trainee at the Communications Division of Khon Kaen University
