160 new isolation beds for Covid-19 patients in Ctg

With two new hospitals set to start treating covid-19 patients this month, a total of 160 new isolation beds will be added to the existing 150 beds in Chattogram for treating coronavirus positive patients.

Of the two new hospitals, Chattogram Field Hospital -- situsted at Faujdarhat of Sitakunda upazila,  is all set to go on operation today.

Dr Bidduth Barua, an assistant professor of Department of Public Health at American International University Bangladesh, in assistance with Navana Group steered the initiative.

"We are all set to go for operation on Tuesday. We have got permission from the Ministry of Health," he told this newspaper.

"It will be a 60-bed hospital equipped with  five ventilators initially," he said, adding, "Number of beds and accordingly  ventilators will be increased in future."

The significance of this hospital is the contribution of common people.

"Many contributed to raise fund... even a rickshaw-puller contributed Tk 20 for the hospital. I salute them all," he said, "It is going to be a common people's hospital."

Meanwhile, Chattogram Private Clinics Owners' Association is going to open another 100-bed hospital in the city for treating  covid-19  patients.

Holy Crescent Hospital in Khulshi area is being renovated for this purpose.  

A committee has been formed in this regard with mayor of  Chattogram City Corporation AJM Nasir Uddin as convenor.

Contacted, Dr Liakat Ali, general secretary of Chattogram Private Clinic Owners' Association and member secretary of the committee, said they were expecting to open the hospital on April 25.      

"The civil works are almost complete and installation of beds is underway," he said, adding, "The hospital will be managed in collaboration with the government."

"A total of 12 ventilators will be set up for treating patients in the hospital," he said.

Contacted, Dr Faisal Iqbal Chowdhury, general secretary of Bangladesh Medical Association, Chattogram, hailed the initiatives.

"Covid-19 patients should get all sorts of treatment including ICU support in the privately initiated hospitals free of cost," he said, adding, "I will urge the government to make sure that patients can receive treatment in the hospitals free of cost."

Dr Bidduth said patients will get treatment in Chattogram Field Hospital free of cost. "We have made a 10-member medical team ready to treat patients," he said.

Dr Liakat said government would post doctors and health staffers in Holy Crescent Covid Hospital and bear the necessary expenses of maintenance.

Contacted, Dr Hasan Shahriar Kabir, Chattogram divisional director of Directorate General of Health Services, said the patients would be benefited  once the two hospitals go on operation.

Meanwhile, a 10-bed ICU is going to open in Chattogram General Hospital by next week.

"A team from Dhaka is now working to set up the ventilators and we expect to open the unit at the end of this week or by next week," said Dr Asim Kumar Nath, superintendent of the hospital.

Contacted, Chattogram Civil Surgeon Sheikh Fazle Rabbi said trained manpower will be posted in the hospital immediately to run ICU.