Delhi govt to augment ICU bed capacity in COVID-19 hospitals: Sisodia

With surging number of coronavirus patients, Delhi government is gearing up to augment ICU bed capacity in city’s dedicated COVID 19 hospitals, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said on Friday.

He assessed existing pandemic situation and discussed ramping up of capacity of intensive care unit (ICU) beds in hospitals with medical directors and administrators concerned.

medical chiefs of all hospitals have been directed to increase ir bed capacity and all or requirements owing to rise in COVID-19 cases in national capital, he said.

"In this realisation, Delhi government has directed to increase ICU bed capacity in all big dedicated COVID-19 hospitals,” Sisodia said.

deputy chief minister also appointed vice chancellor of Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University (GGSIPU), with which most PG medical institutions are affiliated, for recruitment and deployment of final year medical students for six months to meet shortfall of ICU manpower.

He said one of major problems raised by directors of hospitals during meeting was lack of ICU manpower.

S K Sarin, chief medical officer of ILBS hospital, suggested immediate deployment of all MD, MS, DNB graduate doctors in various PG medical institutions to be engd for six months at Delhi government COVID-19 hospitals. Similarly, all PG and UG final year nursing students be deployed for ICU duty for six months, he said.

Keeping in view current coronavirus situation and number of patients in need of intensive care, hospitals were directed to augment ICU health infrastructure at earliest.

GGSIPU vice chancellor is authorised to recommend horarium to be paid to recruited medical students, Sisodia said in an official te.

He said oxygen supply is to be attached to all beds of COVID-19 hospitals. “Most of existing beds in hospitals currently have oxygen supply for patients, and in next ten days, all or beds will have oxygen supply attached to m. bed capacity, as well as all infrastructural and manpower assistance, will be given to hospitals as and when required by m," he said. Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal earlier took stock of preparations at newly constructed hospital in Burari, where 450 beds will be installed for treatment of coronavirus patients.

Beds with oxygen supply will also be installed at newly constructed hospital in Ambedkar Nagar, a government statement said.