Kolkata: The Calcutta Medical College and Hospital (CMCH) will serve as a dedicated hospital for COVID–19 to combat the emerging situation and to release the burden of Beliaghata ID Hospital.
The hospital authorities have taken the decision and a proposal in this regard has been sent to Swasthya Bhawan for its approval. The CMCH authorities said they are ready to open a dedicated COVID–19 unit at the new Superspecialty building which has a capacity of 300 beds. If required, the entire hospital can be made ready to accommodate suspected patients in phases. The top two floors of the newly set up Superspecialty nine-storeyed building will accommodate the confirmed cases of COVID–19 while the remaining floors would be kept for housing the suspected ones. All the suspected patients would be kept as per the prescribed norms of the Health department. All steps will be taken to avoid transmission. No other patient will be accommodated in the new building.
Since Beliaghata ID is the only nodal hospital in the state to provide COVID-19 treatment, there is a massive rush of patients every day. Officials in the hospital are worried as six out of 10 special isolation beds have already been filled up by the COVID–19 affected victims. If more patients test positive, it would be difficult for the hospital to accommodate them until the 10-bed isolation ward is fully operational. The isolation ward of the hospital has a bed capacity of 24. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee recently instructed the Health department to increase the bed capacity to 100.
The state government is keen on taking all possible measures if the situation deteriorates. The Chief Minister has also asked the Health department to be prepared for any situation and make all necessary arrangements so that lives can be saved.