SAMBALPUR: In a bid to address the shortage of Intensive Care Unit (ICU) beds at Veer Surendra Sai Institute of Medical Sciences and Research (VIMSAR), Burla, the authorities are planning to set up a dedicated 100-bed ICU complex at the hospital.
Store medical officer Dr. Ashok Panigrahi said, “VIMSAR has received over 100 ventilators for two Covid hospitals. Once the pandemic situation improves, the ventilators can be utilised in the ICU complex.” VIMSAR has been reeling under a shortage of ICU beds for long. While the medical college and hospital were functioning with just 14 ICU beds till last year, six more were added in January 2021. However, these are insufficient to cater to patients from across Western Odisha and neighbouring states like Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand who visit the hospital to avail healthcare services.
In November last year, VIMSAR authorities had planned to develop a 30-bed ICU complex in the hospital. However, the proposal could not materialise as the Covid situation deteriorated and the building earmarked for the purpose was used to treat infected patients.
Currently, VIMSAR has two Covid hospitals with 50 beds each. These will be used in the proposed ICU complex. Work on the installation of two liquid medical oxygen (LMO) plants with a capacity of 13 kilolitres each has also started. The plants will ensure uninterrupted oxygen supply to the ICU complex.
Panigrahi said some other aspects of the ICU complex like the requirement of trained staff and a suitable location are yet to be discussed. “We will discuss the issues once the Covid situation improves to a remarkable extent,” he said. Official sources said the five-storey building from where Covid hospital-I is functioning is likely to be developed and converted into the ICU complex.
Senior resident Sanjeeb Mishra said currently, VIMSAR has around 1,000 general beds. At least 10 per cent of the beds should have an ICU facility. Hence, there should be at least 100 ICU beds in the hospital which is now managed with just 20. Due to the dearth of ICU beds, several patients are forced to visit private hospitals and cannot avail the benefits of government health schemes.