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States rush to set up separate hospitals for Corona patients

New Delhi: With the country getting an increasing trend of Coronavirus confirmed cases, the states have come forward to dedicate hospitals for COVID-19 patients.

The lead has been taken by the West Bengal government as on the direction of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, the state has converted the prestigious Calcutta Medical College and Hospital, which has 2,200 beds, into a dedicated hospital to treat patients infected with COVID-19.

Following the footsteps of West Bengal CM, the Odisha government has also decided to set two COVID-19 dedicated hospitals in Bhubaneswar in association with some private players.

Apart from Odisha, the Assam government has decided to set up four temporary hospitals with 300 beds each across the state for the treatment of Coronavirus patients.

According to Assam's Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, the state is also constructing an isolation facility for 700 persons with separate rooms and 200 attached lavatories at the Sarusajai Sports Complex, which would be ready by the next week.

Till now, Assam has not reported any positive case of COVID-19, while Odisha has reported two confirmed cases and a total of 9 people have been found Coronavirus positive in West Bengal.

Earlier, the Union Health Ministry had identified 800-bedded National Cancer Institute (NCI) under All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) for COVID-19.

"It's better idea to treat people suffering from COVID-19 in designated hospitals as it will help in containing the transmission of COVID-19," said Balram Bhargava, who is DG at the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).

Meanwhile, Telangana, which has reported 44 positive cases of COVID-19, has directed private hospitals to create separate beds and treating facilities for Coronavirus positive patients. The state government has also ordered private hospitals not to perform any elective procedures.

Karnataka, which has reported 55 COVID-19 cases and two deaths, has decided to rope in private hospitals to treat patients of Coronavirus.

In case of Odisha, the state government has signed two tripartite agreements with SUM and KIIMS Medical Colleges to set up 1,000 bedded state level hospitals in Bhubaneswar for COVID-19 patients.

As per a state government official, the SUM Hospital would create a 500-bed COVID-19 hospital with 20 ICUs, while KIIMs Hospital will have 450 beds and both the hospitals will have the facility for treating COVID-19 patients. The state-run Odisha Mining Corporation (OMC) and Central PSU Mahanadi Coalfields Limited (MCL) will provide the CSR funding for the purpose.

In Assam, the government has discussed with a leading private sector construction company regarding the temporary hospitals. "Almost all parliamentarians from both ruling and opposition parties of Assam have also offered to contribute funds to set up the hospitals," the Assam health minister said.

In Gujarat, which has reported 43 positive cases of COVID-19 and three deaths, the state government has dedicated a 1200-bed new Ahmedabad Civil Hospital in Ahmedabad for the Coronavirus patients.

Other states that have started their work on creating separate hospitals for COVID-19 include Jharkhand, Rajasthan, Goa, Madhya Pradesh and Jammu & Kashmir. There is no report from Bihar, which has reported six positive cases of COVID-19, about setting up dedicated hospital for Coronavirus patients.

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