Harsh Vardhan chairs high-level meeting to review preparedness of Central govt hospitals in Delhi

Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan on Friday chaired a high-level meeting to review the preparedness of the Central Government Hospitals in the national capital and AIIMS, New Delhi for clinical management of the severe COVID-19 patients.

The Health Minister said that the Centre has been leading the fight against COVID-19 through a 'whole of government' and 'whole of society' approach, read a government release.

In view of the unprecedented surge in the number of daily cases, the requirement of oxygen supported and ICU beds in addition to adequate oxygen supply along with medicines and trained manpower has increased mfold, the minister pointed out.

The Union Health Minister reviewed in detail the beds availability including oxygen supported and the ICU-ventilators beds. Various hospitals informed regarding the immediate steps being taken for augmenting the beds availability to cater to the immediate needs of COVID patients, the government said.

The Union Minister directed all the hospitals to urgently start work on the augmentation plans through fabricated hospitals, repurposing non-COVID beds conversion of buildings/blocks and wards in the existing premises into dedicated COVID facilities.

It was informed that the Safdarjung Hospital is augmenting the bed availability with 172 more COVID beds (total being 391). With this, the Super Specialty Block at Safdurjung Hospital will be fully converted to a specialty block for only COVID patients. Also, 46 beds (including 32 ICU beds) are being added with help of CSIR.

RML Hospital informed that they are converting some other non-COVID buildings for dedicated COVID treatment facilities. This step shall provide 200 additional beds for COVID patients. In LHMC, 240 more beds are being created by CSIR which shall become operationalised soon.

Director AIIMS, New Delhi outlined the expansion plans for adding more beds in other wards/blocks such as the Burns and Plastic Surgery Centre, NCI Jhajjar, Dr R P Centre for Ophthalmic Sciences and the geriatric wards. The total capacity shall be enhanced to more than 1,000 beds for only COVID-19 patients.

The Union Health Minister also reviewed the status of oxygen availability in various Central Government Hospitals and AIIMS, New Delhi and the steps being taken for timely augmenting the supply.

Rajesh Bhushan, Union Health Secretary informed of the 24x7 Control Room of DPIIT that is working to resolve all transportation-related issues of Delhi for smooth supply of oxygen.

( With inputs from ANI )