Tamil Nadu to ramp up hospital beds as Covid-19 cases swell

As Covid-19 cases continue to increase rapidly, the Tamil Nadu government has swung into action to augment bed facilities for patients who test positive for the novel coronavirus in both government and private sectors. The Director of Medical and Rural Health Services has asked all private hospitals in the state to earmark 50 per cent of their beds for Covid-19 patients to handle the anticipated increase in the number of patients.

In a separate move, the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC), which is at the forefront of the Covid-19 containment efforts in the state capital, has allowed private hospitals that possess infrastructure to open Covid Care Centres (CCC) in the city. The GCC is currently running 14 CCCs which are attached to five government hospitals that serve as Covid hospitals in the city.

The GCC said the private hospitals can launch the CCCs either on their own or in collaboration with hotels that have facilities to lodge patients. Asymptomatic patients and those who do not need constant monitoring but are Covid positive are usually sent to Covid Care Centres.

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As cases continue to rise – the number of active cases was 84,361 on Wednesday evening with 11,681 persons testing positive for the novel coronavirus in the last 24 hours – the government asked all private hospitals to earmark 50 per cent of their total beds to Covid-19 patients.

“In view of present circumstances all the private hospitals are instructed to allocate at least 50 per cent of the total beds exclusively for Covid-19 patients duly following the norms as prescribed. It is further instructed to reduce the number of elective procedures and planned admissions,” a communication sent to private hospitals by the Director of Medical and Rural Health Services read.

Health Secretary Dr J Radhakrishnan told Deccan Herald that the government was constantly increasing the bed capacity across the state. “We are increasing the bed capacity in government hospitals across the state. Besides we have also launched several Covid Care Centres in the state to treat and monitor Covid-19 patients,” he said.

Though many hospitals across the country have reported shortage of oxygen supply, Health Minister C Vijayabhaskar said the state has enough supply of oxygen to be provided for patients. As against the daily supply of 400 tonnes of oxygen, the state's demand was 240 tonnes, he said.

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According to figures available, as many as 6,121 patients were on oxygen support in both government and private hospitals and Covid Health Centres in the state as on 8 pm on Tuesday. The data showed 28,548 beds being vacant across the state, while 1,921 patients are receiving treatment in Intensive Care Units (ICUs).

Prabhdeep Kaur of the National Institute of Epidemiology (NIE) said it would be impossible for the health system to cope if the trend of increasing cases fails to slow down. “We must escalate the restrictions. People should cooperate by wearing masks and avoiding all non-essential activities,” she said.