More ICU beds to be added, Ramleela Ground to turn Covid-19 care facility
NEW DELHI: To augment the number of ICU beds in the national capital, the Delhi government will setup a 500-bed makeshift facility at the famous Ramleela Ground. Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who along with Health Minister Satyendar Jain visited the ground to take stock of the progress, said another ground in front of the Guru Tegh Bahadur Hospital is being converted into a 500-bed Covid care centre.
The chief minister said the severity of this second wave is such that recovery of patients is not as swift as the last wave, which is the reason for the number of serious patients remaining high. “It has been noticed that the current wave is particularly dangerous. It is supremely contagious and those who contract it are not able to recover as swiftly as was noticed in the previous wave. In these conditions, ICU wards are in great demand,” said the chief minister.
The Delhi government is also trying to set up 200 ICU beds at the Covid care centre at the Radha Soami Satsang Beas, which will bring the total number of ICU beds to 1,200, which will be ready by May 12.
“Despite our best efforts, it is becoming difficult to create more ICU beds. All hospitals at this point are running above their original capacity and the beds are full, including ICU beds.
These 1,200 ICU beds will be ready by 10 May. I believe they will relieve the load on the hospitals and aid the people of Delhi,” said the chief minister. According to the Delhi government, the central government had arranged 500 ICU beds in collaboration the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), but within three hours of making an official public announcement of their availability, all 500 were occupied by patients.