Only 8 ICU Beds For COVID Patients Vacant In Seven Private Hospitals In Delhi, 237 Beds Vacant In Government Hospitals

Image Credit: The Indian Express (Representational)

The Logical Indian Crew

Only 8 ICU Beds For COVID Patients Vacant In Seven Private Hospitals In Delhi, 237 Beds Vacant In Government Hospitals

In seven private hospitals in Delhi, 74 of 82 ICU beds meant for coronavirus patients are occupied now, while on the other hand, only 111 of 348 ICU beds earmarked for COVID-19 patients are occupied at six government hospitals.

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In seven private hospitals in Delhi, 74 of 82 ICU beds meant for coronavirus patients are occupied now, while on the other hand, only 111 of 348 ICU beds earmarked for COVID-19 patients are occupied at six government hospitals.

With the number of positive cases increasing each day in the city, there are several reports of severely ill people unable to get admitted to private hospitals' ICUs.

In the national capital, there are 10 private and six government hospitals authorised to treat coronavirus patients. The Indian Express found data from seven private hospitals — Sir Ganga Ram's Kolmet and City hospitals (15 of 20 ICU beds occupied), Indraprastha Apollo (9 of 9), Max Smart Super Speciality Saket (29 of 32), Fortis Shalimar Bagh (3 of 3), Batra (10 of 10) and Maha Durga Charitable Trust (8 of 8).

The government has not made data from three other hospitals available - Cygnus Orthocare, Saroj Medical Institute and Khushi hospital.

As many as 117 nursing homes and private hospitals have been directed by the government to set aside 20 per cent of their existing strength for COVID-19 patients, in order to add to its bed strength.

Ninety per cent of ICU beds are occupied in private hospitals, however, in government hospitals, the crunch is less. Health Secretary Padmini Singla in a meeting with the Lieutenant Governor on Tuesday, May 26, said that there are 429 ICU beds, 343 ventilators and 2,632 oxygen supported beds available in the COVID-designated hospitals.

"There are 17 patients in the ICU and most are on oxygen support. Not many patients require to be shifted to a ventilator. I believe around seven-eight patients are on ventilator support in the ICU," The Indian Express quoted Dr D K Sharma, medical superintendent of AIIMS, as saying.

On the ground floor of the hospital's trauma centred, there are 18 beds. "We can open another ICU with 60 beds if required," Sharma added.

RML now has 100 patients with a bed capacity of 190 for COVID suspected/positive patients. "We have 14 ICU beds for COVID confirmed patients and 14 for suspected patients. All are full," said Dr Minakshi Bharadwaj, the medical superintendent.

The health department has also ordered 30,000 PPE kits (to add to the 50,000 in stock), 3.5 lakh N95 masks, 28 ventilators and 435 oxygen concentrators, to meet the demand in the future.

Addressing a virtual press conference on Monday, May 25, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said: "Of the total 3,829 beds in government hospitals, 3,164 have oxygen support. We are focusing more on oxygen beds as severe patients have respiratory trouble and it is important to maintain oxygen levels in their body. We have 250 ventilators in government hospitals and only 11 are used as of now. There are 72 ventilators in the private hospitals and 15 are occupied."

Also Read: Japan: Medical Group Cautions Parents, Says Masks Dangerous For Children Under Two

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