Regulatory panel takes stock of several hospitals
Kolkata: A team of senior officials of the West Bengal Clinical Establishment Regulatory Commission (WBCERC) headed by Chairperson Justice (retired) Ashim Kumar Banerjee visited various private hospitals in Salt Lake and one on E M Bypass on Wednesday, to take stock of their preparedness to combat COVID-19.
The officials also examined if the private hospitals have been following the standard operating procedure set by the state Health department and if a proper isolation ward
has been put in place.
The officials spoke to the private hospital authorities and wanted to know what measures they have taken to fight emergency situations.
According to a senior official of the WBCERC, the private hospitals have set up separate isolation wards. The officials also pointed out that it must be ensured that the affected victims never come in close contact with other patients.
"The private hospitals are trying their best. They have set up separate isolation wards. They are carrying out sanitisation drive. We have found space crunch at the isolation wards of some of the hospitals. They have been instructed to be fully equipped to meet any emergency situation," a senior official said.
Secretary Arshad Hasan Warsi and members Dr Sukumar Mitra and Dr Makhanlal Saha were part of the team that visited the hospitals
on Wednesday. It had also
paid a visit to other private hospitals on E M Bypass on Tuesday.
The private hospitals are not, however, carrying out any swab test, which is being done at government-owned labs, free of cost.
The officials on Wednesday also examined if there
are adequate beds in the isolation wards of the private hospitals.
The hospital authorities have been asked to make sure that suspected Coronavirus cases do not come in contact of other patients. There is still scope for improvement in some areas, an official maintained.
Meanwhile, the state's health sector witnessed development with setting up of a 10-bed Critical Care Unit (CCU) at Falakata Super-specialty Hospital and a Cath Lab and ITU at Manicktala ESI Hospital.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee inaugurated both the facilities from a programme outside Nabanna on Wednesday. Banerjee has also inaugurated two academic bhawans of nursing college at SSKM Hospital.
Thousands of people in North Bengal will be helped with setting up of the CCU at Falakata Super-specialty Hospital in Alipurduar district. It had been a demand of the people from the region and with setting up of the same they won't have to travel a long distance to get better treatment anymore.
Similarly, the Cath Lab that has come up is the only one of its kind available at any ESI hospital in the country.
The Chief Minister, state Urban Development and Municipal Affairs minister Firhad Hakim and Chief Secretary Rajiva Sinha on Wednesday also flagged off 173 ambulances, 20 mechanical road sweeping vehicles and 20 water sprinklers. The ambulances have been bought using MPLAD fund, worth Rs 30 crore.
