KOLKATA: In a major capacity boost, the Bengal government aims to add close to 3,000 Covid beds in hospitals and over 4,000 beds in safe homes to accommodate asymptomatic and mildly symptomatic patients by August 15.
The total number of hospital beds is expected to go up to 14,000 from the current 11,299. A senior state official said the government is in talks with a private facility in Kolkata and another in Howrah to convert them into Covid hospitals. CM Mamata Banerjee has already indicated that Islamia Hospital in Bowbazar will be converted into a Covid hospital while the KMC is trying to convert two maternity homes in Kolkata into Covid facilities. Several nursing homes have also informed the state health department that they are in the process of setting up compact Covid units of varying capacities.
“We are tying up with private hospitals and urging them to set aside some beds solely for Covid patients,” said a member of the state Covid infrastructure augmentation team.
The number of beds in safe homes will go up to 11,000 from the existing 6,908 in 106 facilities, most of them in Kolkata and neighbouring districts, on the advice of experts who say the majority of Covid patients in Bengal are either asymptomatic or have mild symptoms and do not need immediate hospitalisation. The hospital beds, they say, should be set aside for serious, critical and moderate patients..
“We are trying to keep hospital beds free for serious patients. Asymptomatic and mildly symptomatic patients will be admitted in safe homes where there will have oxygen facility, ambulance service and a medical team attending on them. Each safe home is also attached to a hospital. These facilities will be used mainly to monitor patients and provide primary treatment. If needed, a patient will be transferred to a hospital. This will allow the patients to stay under surveillance without occupying hospital beds,” state director of health services, Ajoy Chakraborty, said.
Gitanjali Stadium in Kasba, Kishore Bharati in Jadavpur, Haj House in New Town are already functioning as safe homes. Uttirna, the state guest house at Alipore is also being converted into a 200-bed safe house. TOI has already reported that KMC board chairperson Firhad Hakim has inspected this faciltiy and given his nod.
“The safe home concept is now considered a model. The Centre has appreciated this. The whole process is dynamic and the infrastructure is being updated almost everyday,” Chakraborty added. Union cabinet secretary Rajiv Gauba and ICMR director Balaram Bhargav had earlier praised the safe home facilities of Bengal.
The total number of hospital beds is expected to go up to 14,000 from the current 11,299. A senior state official said the government is in talks with a private facility in Kolkata and another in Howrah to convert them into Covid hospitals. CM Mamata Banerjee has already indicated that Islamia Hospital in Bowbazar will be converted into a Covid hospital while the KMC is trying to convert two maternity homes in Kolkata into Covid facilities. Several nursing homes have also informed the state health department that they are in the process of setting up compact Covid units of varying capacities.
“We are tying up with private hospitals and urging them to set aside some beds solely for Covid patients,” said a member of the state Covid infrastructure augmentation team.
The number of beds in safe homes will go up to 11,000 from the existing 6,908 in 106 facilities, most of them in Kolkata and neighbouring districts, on the advice of experts who say the majority of Covid patients in Bengal are either asymptomatic or have mild symptoms and do not need immediate hospitalisation. The hospital beds, they say, should be set aside for serious, critical and moderate patients..
“We are trying to keep hospital beds free for serious patients. Asymptomatic and mildly symptomatic patients will be admitted in safe homes where there will have oxygen facility, ambulance service and a medical team attending on them. Each safe home is also attached to a hospital. These facilities will be used mainly to monitor patients and provide primary treatment. If needed, a patient will be transferred to a hospital. This will allow the patients to stay under surveillance without occupying hospital beds,” state director of health services, Ajoy Chakraborty, said.
Gitanjali Stadium in Kasba, Kishore Bharati in Jadavpur, Haj House in New Town are already functioning as safe homes. Uttirna, the state guest house at Alipore is also being converted into a 200-bed safe house. TOI has already reported that KMC board chairperson Firhad Hakim has inspected this faciltiy and given his nod.
“The safe home concept is now considered a model. The Centre has appreciated this. The whole process is dynamic and the infrastructure is being updated almost everyday,” Chakraborty added. Union cabinet secretary Rajiv Gauba and ICMR director Balaram Bhargav had earlier praised the safe home facilities of Bengal.
