Jamshedpur: With the apparent arrest of the second wave of Covid-19, the East Singhbhum district health department is gearing up to put in place a robust medical infrastructure ahead of the potential third wave which is likely to hit around September-October, as indicated by experts.
Expecting to complete the expansion and installation work by July end, the health department is adding 350 critical care unit (CCU) beds and 500 plus oxygen-equipped beds (OEBs) to make sure proper treatment is administered to patients on time.
The new beds will be in addition to the 1,300 plus beds across the 13 Covid hospitals.
In the backdrop of the apprehension that the return of the virus for the third straight time is likely to affect children more, the health department is focusing on building the capacity of the paediatric intensive Care unit (PICU) and neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).
“With special focus on children, we are ensuring 70% of the additional capacity goes into PICU and NICU while the rest 30% for the general ward,” said additional chief medical officer Sahir Pall.
The officials in the health department informed Tata Main Hospital will add 50 CCU beds and 150 OEBs, Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Medical College and Hospital will add 50 CCU and 150 OEBs, Abhishek Hospital shall add 30 CCU and 100 OEBs, Mercy Hospital would add 30 CCU and 50 OEBs, Tata Motors Hospital would add 30 CCU and 50 OEBs, Jamshedpur Sadar Hospital would add 30 CCU and 20 OEBs, Brahmananda Narayana Miltispeciality Hospital would add 50 CCU beds, among other hospitals.
“Medical infrastructure capacity enhancement work is aimed at increasing the capacity from the block level to the district hospital hence all Covid-dedicated hospitals are working towards capacity building,” Sahir Pall said.
He hoped the beds capacity could go beyond the tentative target figure by the time expansion works get over.
The official informed that medical oxygen plants facility is coming up at MGMMCH and JSH for round the clock oxygen supply to the patients bed.
The HDFC has given 900 litre per minute oxygen generating plant at JSH while work is underway for 10,000 litre per hour capacity oxygen plant at the same hospital.
The MGMMCH would soon have 600 litre per minute pressure swing absorption oxygen plant.
The administration is ensuring 15 beds at all the community health centres in the rural blocks have piped oxygen supply and in this regard Hindustan Copper Ltd (HCL) and Uranium Corporation of India Ltd (UCIL) have been roped in for cooperation in putting up the infrastructure.
Tata Steel Foundation (TSF) has given 100 oxygen cylinders to the district administration on Friday last week.
The Jamshedpur Notified Area Committee (JNAC) has announced it is keeping three ambulances ready for providing them to the denizens on demand for transporting the patient to the hospital at a nominal tariff.
The RT-PCR testing capacity will also be increased in the district as work in this regard is going on, added the official.