Bengal govt wants private hospitals to gear up for Covid emergencey

Authorities get ready for healthcare boost to tackle ‘third wave

Representational image. 

Pranesh Sarkar   |   TT  |  Calcutta   |  01.01.22 : The Mamata Banerjee government has decided to requisition private hospitals once again apprehending large-scale need for hospitalisation of patients if the third wave of Covid-19 hits the state.

“There are already signs that positive cases are rising alarmingly in the state. It is a clear sign that the state is on the verge of facing another wave of the pandemic by the third week of January. The chief secretary has instructed the health department to requisition private hospitals so that patients can be accommodated at hospitals as and when needed,” said a senior government official.

The health department had requisitioned 41 private hospitals by mid-2020. Now, only seven private hospitals are with the government, while the rest have been released after the number of positive cases had come down in August-September, 2021.

“Contract with these private hospitals was for one year and by September, it ended in the case of a majority of the facilities. As the case load was low at that time, the contract was not renewed,” said an official.“But it’s time to get back all these beds once again as the state is on the verge of a fresh wave of Covid cases,” the official added.

According to sources, during his meeting with the top government officials on Thursday, chief secretary, H. K. Dwivedi asked that the requisition process has to be completed at the earliest.

In addition to private hospitals, 194 government hospitals were dedicated for treatment of Covid positive patients.

“Many of the government hospitals were supposed to be converted to general hospitals by early 2022. But the plan has been stalled considering more Covid beds could be required this time. For example, MR Bangur hospital would continue to work as a Covid hospital even if the plan was to convert this into a general hospital by the end of December,” said a source.

The state has also asked the district health department officials to arrange Oxygen facilities in 50 percent of the Covid hospitals if possible. “Currently, we have 23,947 covid beds, which would be enhanced after requisition of private hospitals. There is an aim to ensure oxygen support in 50 percent of the beds,” said a source.

Though primary reports from other states suggest that in recent times the majority of the patients do not require oxygen support like it was required during the second wave, officials apprehend that as more people would turn positive this time, naturally the number of critical patients would increase and many of them may need oxygen support.

“We don’t want to take any chances. We are trying to keep the infrastructure ready to tackle a disaster,” said a bureaucrat.

The state government has also laid stress on increasing the number of tests in the state. The testing centres have been given targets of completing 500-1000 tests a day. During the peak of the second wave, the total of tests in a day was more than 66,000. In the past few months, the number had come down to 25,000 to 30,000 a day.

“Immediately, the number of tests have to be increased. Also, the district authorities have been asked to keep arrangements ready to declare containment zones if required,”said an official.

The Mamata Banerjee government has decided to requisition private hospitals once again apprehending large-scale need for hospitalisation of patients if the third wave of Covid-19 hits the state.

“There are already signs that positive cases are rising alarmingly in the state. It is a clear sign that the state is on the verge of facing another wave of the pandemic by the third week of January. The chief secretary has instructed the health department to requisition private hospitals so that patients can be accommodated at hospitals as and when needed,” said a senior government official.

The health department had requisitioned 41 private hospitals by mid-2020. Now, only seven private hospitals are with the government, while the rest have been released after the number of positive cases had come down in August-September, 2021.

“Contract with these private hospitals was for one year and by September, it ended in the case of a majority of the facilities. As the case load was low at that time, the contract was not renewed,” said an official.“But it’s time to get back all these beds once again as the state is on the verge of a fresh wave of Covid cases,” the official added.

According to sources, during his meeting with the top government officials on Thursday, chief secretary, H. K. Dwivedi asked that the requisition process has to be completed at the earliest.

In addition to private hospitals, 194 government hospitals were dedicated for treatment of Covid positive patients.

“Many of the government hospitals were supposed to be converted to general hospitals by early 2022. But the plan has been stalled considering more Covid beds could be required this time. For example, MR Bangur hospital would continue to work as a Covid hospital even if the plan was to convert this into a general hospital by the end of December,” said a source.

The state has also asked the district health department officials to arrange Oxygen facilities in 50 percent of the Covid hospitals if possible. “Currently, we have 23,947 covid beds, which would be enhanced after requisition of private hospitals. There is an aim to ensure oxygen support in 50 percent of the beds,” said a source.

Though primary reports from other states suggest that in recent times the majority of the patients do not require oxygen support like it was required during the second wave, officials apprehend that as more people would turn positive this time, naturally the number of critical patients would increase and many of them may need oxygen support.

“We don’t want to take any chances. We are trying to keep the infrastructure ready to tackle a disaster,” said a bureaucrat.

The state government has also laid stress on increasing the number of tests in the state. The testing centres have been given targets of completing 500-1000 tests a day. During the peak of the second wave, the total of tests in a day was more than 66,000. In the past few months, the number had come down to 25,000 to 30,000 a day.

“Immediately, the number of tests have to be increased. Also, the district authorities have been asked to keep arrangements ready to declare containment zones if required,”said an official.