THD NewsDesk, NEW DELHI: On September 17th, from Delhi, Corona app data reveals that in a total of 2,629 ICU beds 1,138 — 43% of which are in public-sector hospitals while the rest 57% are in private-sector hospitals. These include both with and without ventilators for Covid-19 patients in Delhi.
According to Dr. D. S. Rana, Chairman (Board of Management) of Sir Ganga Ram Hospital (SGRH) stated that it is challenging to design a devoted quarantine section for Covid-19 patients when currently it aids a 60-bedded ICU facility.
Dr. Rana said, “We have created a separate COVID-ICU with 116 beds by various modifications at a significant cost on the advice of the health minister of Delhi. We are planning to enhance the capacity further to 150 beds. However, for that, we may need more ventilators and monitors. We have requested the government to provide the same.”
Dr. Ashutosh Raghuvanshi, MD and CEO of Fortis Healthcare Ltd, averred that the private healthcare sector has to maintain the governments’ state and national actions in the struggle facing the pandemic.
Dr. Raghuvanshi added, “Despite consistent losses, the sector has invested significantly to upgrade the healthcare infrastructure. Lockdown restrictions and fear of contracting infection have resulted in lower footfall at the hospitals and postponement of pre-scheduled surgeries. Our healthcare system is facing serious challenges related to the skilled workforce, and our frontline workers are going beyond their call of duty to serve the nation.”
He further added that holding beds is not a deep-rooted solution as it will endanger the operational sustainability of private hospitals. He pointed out that a collective and instructive approach will empower private healthcare institutions to perform optimally.
The professionals at a different top private hospital insisted that the scheme would hamper surgeries for non-COVID complications. He further added that the government must reconsider the order, “Since most of these require some post-surgical stay in ICUs. Effectively all hospitals will need to shut down their OTs.”
Lately, the Delhi Government directed private hospitals with more than 50 beds to keep 80% of their ICU beds for Covid-19 patients only. Several hospitals are opposing the movement that it is not economically feasible and will add to the miseries of non-COVID patients. So far, they are striving to arrange ICU beds for acute diseases like cancer and heart failure.