Kolkata: The Calcutta Medical College and Hospital (CMCH) is soon going to get 300 more Covid beds in order to meet the demands especially after the number of daily infected patients has gone up slightly in the city. With this, the total number of Covid beds in the hospital would reach 1,000.
The CMCH has around 700 existing beds. State health department has been increasing the existing bed strength in various Covid hospitals as a precautionary measure for the festive season. A couple of days ago Rogi Kalyan Samity (RKS) meeting was held at the CMCH which was presided by the RKS chairman Dr Nirmal Maji. It was decided in the meeting that a total 300 more beds would be added to the existing number as a backup arrangement.
Around 100 beds would be made operational at the School of Tropical Medicine while another 100 beds at the Regional Institute of Ophthalmology and 60 and 40 beds at the Green Building and the Emergency ward of the hospital.
It was also learnt that the CMCH authorities have already decided to induct more resident doctors. Incidentally, the CMCH Principal, Dr Manju Banerjee, earlier this month, wrote to the health department seeking immediate posting of additional doctors in the hospital.
"Presently, 26 post graduate trainees including 12 faculty members have tested positive for Covid and they were either quarantined or undergoing treatment in the hospital. The CMCH has been facing an acute shortage of doctors during Covid pandemic with further enhancement of 100 beds," reads the letter.
The Principal requested the health department to deploy senior residents, with specialization in MD (medicine) degree preferably the ex-students of the same institution to cater effective and adequate care to patients. Many doctors from the CMCH, nurses and other staff members have already fallen victim to Covid. It becomes really challenging for the hospital authorities to ensure health services if the doctors continue to fall prey to the pandemic.
RKS Chairman Dr Maji tested positive for Covid on Saturday the day after he held the meeting with the senior officials of the CMCH. After being released from the SSKM following his brain operation, Dr Maji again started taking stock about the health services at the CMCH. He is now undergoing treatment at the same hospital. The 10-member medical board is concerned as he has comorbidity issues.