State’s largest Covid care centre, with 300 dedicated beds for symptomatic and severely-ill patients, is set to come up at the Sadar Hospital in Ranchi by mid-October, officials said on Tuesday.
Ranchi Deputy Development Commissioner Ananya Mittal told this correspondent that the facility will have 30 beds with ventilators, while all the remaining 270 beds will have oxygen support.
“The dedicated Covid care facility will come up on the third, fourth and fifth floors of the hospital. Only symptomatic patients will be treated in this facility,” he said.
This Covid care centre will have a separate entry and exit in a bid to ensure that other departments of the hospital continue to function without triggering any panic among patients regarding the presence of Covid-infected patients in the same building, sources from the state health department said. The attendants and doctors visiting the Covid centre will not treat patients in the other wards of the hospital, they added.
As of now, Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) has the largest Covid ward for symptomatic patients in the city. There are 100 dedicated Covid beds at RIMS.
There are more than 12,000 Covid beds in Jharkhand, including the ones for asymptomatic patients at private facilities, officials from the National Health Mission (NHM) said. However, hardly 1000 beds were available for symptomatic patients.
The Sadar Hospital is located at a stone’s throw from Albert Ekka Chowk, the heart of the city, and easily accessible from all parts of the state capital. It currently has 200 beds. Out of the existing 200 beds, 150 are for maternity ward and remaining 50 for pediatrics. At the time of its inauguration, the Government decided to exclusively treat pregnant women and newborns in the facility.
The hospital already has dedicated Medicine Outdoor Patient Department (OPD), Physiotherapy unit, child care OPD, Inpatient Department (IPD) and Intensive Care Unit (ICU), female care OPD, IPD and ICU, labour room and nutrition unit.
“The Covid care centre should be ready for patients by October 15. It will be the largest Covid care centre for symptomatic patients in Jharkhand so far,” said the DDC.
At present, Covid patients suffering from severe symptoms of the viral infection undergo treatment either at RIMS or private hospitals. Bhagwan Mahavir Medica Superspecialty Hospital and Medica in Ranchi have dedicated ICU beds for Covid patients. The Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Hospital and Tata Main Hospital in Jamshedpur also have dedicated wards for symptomatic Covid patients.