NBMCH beds to be ready if Covid situation demands

SNS, SILIGURI, 23 APRIL 2022 : The North Bengal Medical College and Hospital (NBMCH) authorities have said that adequate beds for Covid-19 treatment will be reinstated if the situation demands.

Following an upsurge of Covid-19 cases in some states, including Delhi and Maharashtra, the health department is taking all necessary steps, including the sentinel survey across the state to keep plans ready to tackle any uptick in cases in West Bengal.

The number of Covid beds was brought down at the NBMCH as most of them had been lying vacant following a sharp decline in the cases. Sources said that since 11 March, no patient suffering from Covid-19 has been admitted in the hospital. During the previous three Covid waves, the NBMCH had prepared units of around 242 beds in Covid blocks-I and II.

"We planned to reduce the beds in a graded manner with dose monitoring of the patient load, keeping in mind that if we witness a spike in cases we are able to ramp up the Covid management services quickly. We wanted to properly utilise the beds as there had been hardly any patient in the Covid blocks. The beds are used for general units. If required or if another wave strikes and the admission rat e goes up, the infrastructure will he reinstated immediately," said a senior doctor.

According to NBMCH superintendent Dr Sanjay Mallik, they had reserved the respiratory intensive care unit (RICU) and isolation ward for Covid patients.

"There are around 11 beds in the RICU, while there are 22 in the isolation ward. If the situation demands, we will reinstate the beds," Dr Mallik said, adding that in that case the Covid-1 block with around 98 beds will be reactivated.

Sources said 6,630 samples had been tested positive at the virus research and diagnostic laboratory (VRDL) at the NBMCH in January while it witnessed a sharp drop in February with 601 cases. The laboratory tested 24 samples positive in March and one in April so far.

"The number of daily tests has now come down to below 50 at the VRDL. The decline in tests has been observed in the past few months," a source said.

Many health specialists are of the opinion that India's large proportion of the population has already been infected with Covid-19 and its high vaccination coverage over 84 per cent of adults fully vaccinated will avert severe disease and large scale deaths, unless the virus changes dramatically.