Mumbai : If things go according to the civic administration’s plans, then by June, Sewri TB hospital’s wards will be installed with UV lights, the rays of which will help to protect the transmission of TB bacteria in the hospital.
Discussions are underway with a US-based company that will be supplying these UV lights to the hospital. “But we are yet to decide the quantity required and the total cost of these lights,” said the medical superintendent of the hospital, Dr Rajendra Nanaware.
The hospital has already installed UV lights in surgery and operation theatres, wherein these lights are turned off when the operation theatre is not in use. However, these lights will be working 24×7 in other wards considering the huge crowd of people and the threat of spread of infections in these wards. Meanwhile, till these UV lights are installed, the hospital has removed the windows of the wards in order to let sunlight and air pass in these wards.
Further, the members of the infection control committee ensure that these guidelines are followed by each ward, wherein trainers make rounds to check if the rules are being followed. “While coughing, if the sputum of the TB patient drops and if the bacteria spreads, it is harmful for others in the hospital. Therefore, with TB, it is crucial that we ensure the control of infections in the hospital. Following this, we will now be installing UV lights. These lights will be facing the ceiling so that people make sure that others do not get overexposed to light and suffer rashes on their skin,” said Nanaware.
