Health dept to add over 2000 Covid beds soon

KOLKATA: With the rise in Covid cases in Bengal, the State Health Department is set to increase more than 2,000 dedicated Covid beds in addition to 5,604 existing Covid beds. The new beds would soon be made operational in both the government and private health establishments.

A few days ago, the Health department asked various medical colleges, other hospitals and also private ones to increase infrastructure. The state government also issued instructions that 20 per cent of infrastructure would have to be increased than what it had during the peak time last year. The second wave is presumed to be more contagious and hence necessary infrastructure must be set up in all the health establishments. As per the health department's order, all the medical colleges now have to set up an isolated Covid ward.

According to health department sources around 360 beds would be added to the existing capacity of 300 at Calcutta Medical College and Hospital. In the case of MR Bangur Hospital, there are currently 441 beds. Around 272 more beds would soon be made operational. Beliaghata ID Hospital would get 150 seats more in addition to the present capacity of 165 while Chittaranjan National Cancer Institute would receive 275 beds. It currently has 150 beds. Beds are being increased in various private hospitals as well.

AMRI Hospitals on Wednesday increased 13 beds to its Dhakuria unit taking the total count for the group to 201. AMRI Dhakuria currently has 120 beds including 24 ICU beds, 16 HDU beds and 80 general beds. AMRI Mukundapur has 42 Covid beds and AMRI Salt Lake 39.