National Med College & Hosp to get more Covid, CCU/HDU beds

Kolkata: As part of augmentation of health infrastructure in various hospitals, the state health department has decided to install more critical care beds and other facilities at the Calcutta National Medical College and Hospital ahead of a possible third wave of Covid.

New Covid beds, CCU/HDU beds would be added to the existing infrastructure. Around 25 bedded PICCU for Covid patients would be installed at the RRM building inside the campus of the Calcutta National Medical College. Renovations would be done to accommodate paediatric ICU at RRM building. Bengal government has allotted a fund of around Rs 10 crore for procuring various equipment for the critical care units in government hospitals. The step has been taken to further boost up critical care infrastructure in the state to combat the situation in case there is a third wave of Covid.

A series of equipment will be procured which include Bubble CPAP, BiPAP, Humidifier etc in various hospitals. Steps have also been taken to augment adult CCU beds, PICU beds at Covid wards of various other government hospitals.

The State health department has also instructed around 79 government hospitals across Bengal to set up 'hybrid CCU' specially designed critical care units. All the district health officials have already been instructed to arrange adequate infrastructure for the children in the district and sub-divisional hospitals.

According to health department data, more than 2,348 critical care beds have been put in place to combat the unforeseen situation. As many as 1550 CCU beds, 528 PICU beds and 270 NICU beds have been augmented. A total 2,476 SNCU beds would be made functional in the state. Paediatric beds have been increased in various hospitals as the experts had predicted that children may be infected more in the third wave.

SSKM has arranged 129 pediatric beds, 84 SNCU beds, 16 NICU and 16 PICU beds. Calcutta Medical College and Hospital on the other hand increased 120 paediatric beds, 110 SNCU, 22 NICU and 25 PICU. NRS Medical College has received 120 paediatric beds, 69 SNCU, 10 NICU and 12 PICU.