KOLKATA: Several private hospitals in Kolkata have started identifying wards, beds and areas to accommodate paediatric Covid patients whose number is expected to swell during the third wave.
The move follows a prod from the state government, which has announced a series of measures at the state hospitals to improve paediatric care infrastructure.
AMRI Hospitals has set up a four-member paediatric task force to oversee a dedicated paediatric Covid unit at its Mukundapur branch.
The 100-bed unit will be housed at the hospital’s new building.
“The committee includes a paediatric surgeon apart from experts in neonatal, paediatric care and critical care.
They will meet regularly to formulate a definite strategy in case a large number of children get affected and have to be admitted during the third wave,” said AMRI CEO Rupak Barua.
He added that out of the 100 beds, 60 will be for critical care.
This apart, AMRI is ready to use 40 beds on two floors at its Salt Lake annexe building for Covid-affected kids.
The 42-bed paediatric unit at Belle Vue will be converted into a paediatric Covid unit if patients start coming in, said CEO P Tondon.
“We have already attended a virtual meeting with state health officials and received the guidelines.
We are ready with all arrangements and have also kept paediatric ventilators, oxygen and other equipment ready,” added Tondon.
He said even orders for hospital robes for children have been placed.
At Peerless Hospital, five cabins have been ‘tentatively’ identified to accommodate mothers and children.
A ward with more than a dozen beds, too, have been earmarked for Covid-affected children and their mothers.
“We need more space for paediatric Covid patients since most can’t be here alone.
We need more space for a parent or a caretaker which will squeeze the space available.
But we will utilize every inch possible of our area if necessary,” said Peerless Hospital CEO Sudipta Mitra.
At Medica Superspecialty Hospital, 150 beds have been identified for Covid-affected children and their mothers.
This includes double-bed facilities to accommodate both mother and child “We have already trained 100 doctors and 100 nurses for the purpose,” said chairperson Alok Roy.
Apart from keeping equipment ready, Medica is making arrangements for smaller beds for children.
“The whole system will be geared to attend to children since there could be a larger number than we usually treat,” added Roy.
AMRI is ready to scale up paediatric facilities if necessary.
“To begin with, we will have 140 beds.
But we are ready to add more beds if the situation demands,” Barua said, adding that paediatric ventilators are being kept ready.
“We are also in talks with some manufacturers to help us convert some adult ventilators into paediatric ones.
We will buy some paediatric ventilators, too.
Bipaps, too, are being kept ready,” said Barua.
Charnock Hospital – which has converted the Haj House into a Covid hospital – plans to use 50 beds at the centre for children and their mothers.
The cnetre has 200 Covid beds.
“We will have separate arrangements for male and female children,” said managing director Prashant Sharma.
Hospitals, however, are not sure if non-Covid mothers will be allowed to stay with infected children.
“We are waiting for direction from the ICMR and government on this,” said Barua.