BHUBANESWAR: The State Government has directed the municipal commissioners to monitor the COVID treatment at private hospitals in five cities and provide the details about bed strength and occupancy position in the hospitals by Monday.
Commissioners of Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Rourkela, Berhampur and Sambalpur have been asked to ensure that the private hospitals indicate their bed strength, both general and ICU, and its occupancy regularly.As the new infections surged, the Health and Family Welfare department ramped up efforts for capacity enhancement of critical infrastructure at Covid hospitals across the State.
The State has 8,310 general beds, 647 ICU beds and 526 ventilators for COVID-19 patients in around 50 Dedicated Covid Hospitals (DCHs). While Bhubaneswar has 1,617 general beds, 515 ICU beds and 185 ventilators, Cuttack has 702 general beds, 278 ICU beds and 73 ventilators. Apart from this, there are around 19,000 beds in Covid Care Centres (CCCs).
As per the latest update, 43.64 per cent (pc) general beds, 52.5 pc ICU beds and 54.4 pc ventilators are lying vacant in the hospitals. The occupancy is more in Bhubaneswar and Cuttack as 78 pc general beds, 49 pc ICU and 58 pc ventilators in Bhubaneswar and 61 pc general beds, 55 pc ICU and 85 pc ventilators in Cuttack are occupied.
Additional Chief Secretary of Health PK Mohapatra said the number of beds will increase substantially after 50 pc general beds and 80 pc ICU beds in the private hospitals in the five cities are added. “Going by the current growth rate of the cases, we may not be requiring more beds as the number of patients in home isolation is expected to touch 75 pc. Still, we are ready for any eventualities,” Mohapatra added.