Shawdesh Desk:

Over 98 percent of hospital beds designated for Covid-19 patients have been lying vacant across the country, including in Dhaka, as the coronavirus situation remains under control for a month.

The health ministry considers repurposing some Covid-19 dedicated beds as well as coronavirus units at various hospitals for general patients.

“After the first wave of coronavirus infection, we issued a directive about admitting non-Covid-19 patients in the hospitals’ corona units if the infection rate declines. Since the corona infection rate has declined in the country after the third wave, the directive still exists and it will be implemented until further announcement,” Dr Md Farid Hossain Miah, Director (Hospital) of the DGHS told the Daily Sun.

He said as per the directive, the hospitals that were designated for corona patients and the corona units of other hospitals are admitting non-corona patients amid a fall in Covid-19 cases.

Among the government corona hospitals in the capital, Kurmitola General Hospital, Kuwait Bangladesh Friendship Government Hospital, Mugda Medical College Hospital, Sheikh Russel Gastroliver Institute & Hospital, Central Police Hospital at Rajarbagh and Sarkari Karmachari Hospital at Fulbaria have started admitting non-corona patients, the DGHS sources said.

The other hospitals with dedicated corona units — Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University, Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College Hospital, Infectious Disease Hospital, National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases, 250-bed TB Hospital at Shaymoli, National Institute of Neurosciences and Hospital and National Institute of Traumatology & Orthopaedic Rehabilitation (NITOR) are now admitting non-Covid patients in empty corona units.

During visits to some hospitals in the capital with corona units, Covid-19 dedicated beds and the staff dedicated in the units have been seen lying idle due to a lack of patients amid a declining number of covid-19 cases.

Visiting the DNCC Covid-19 hospital at Mohakhali of the capital, it was seen that the six storied dedicated Covid-19 hospital has been lying idle as only very few corona patients were admitted on 1st, 2nd and 5th floor of the hospital. The other floors of the six storied hospital have remained empty.

“This hospital can be expanded to 1200 beds. But only an average 30 to 50 patients are coming to this hospital every day. However, all the units of the hospital are functioning as the medical and other staffs are also working,” Fatematuj Johora, medical officer (admin) of the hospital, said.

Only five Covid-19 patients were admitted in 212-ICU unit, 4 patients were admitted in 288-bed HDU unit, and five patients were admitted in 554 bed general unit of the Mohakhali DNCC hospital. Of the total, 1054 beds, 1039 remained vacant.

“As the number of Covid-19 cases are falling, only necessary medical staff are assigned at the DNCC hospital as per the need. The additional doctors and nurses have been shifted to other hospitals,” a DGHS official said.

Talking to the Daily Sun, Dr. Niatuzzaman, acting director of Mugda Medical College Hospital, said they are now admitting non-Covid-19 patients as the number of corona patients has declined. “Today (Monday) one corona patient is admitted at the hospital while 390 non-Covid-19 patients are admitted here.”

DGHS data available on April 4 suggest that there are 13,195 general beds and 1,210 ICU (intensive care unit) beds for Covid-19 patients in public and private hospitals across the country, including in Dhaka.

Over 98 percent or 13,040 general beds and 1,176 ICU beds have remained vacant as a total of 155 Covid-19 patients were admitted to general beds and 34 were in ICU beds across the country.

In the capital, of the 3,194 corona-dedicated general beds and 351 ICU beds in 15 government hospitals, 3108 general beds and 332 ICU beds remained vacant. On the other hand, of the 1,452 general beds and 376 ICU beds in private hospitals, 1451 general beds and 370 ICU beds remained vacant.

On Monday, 35 corona patients remained admitted at general beds at Kurmitola General Hospital, five at Kuwait Bangladesh Friendship Government Hospital, one at Mugda Medical College Hospital, no patient was at Sheikh Russel Gastroliver Institute & Hospital, no patient at Central Police Hospital at Rajarbag and no patient at Sarkari Karmachari Hospital at Fulbaria hospitals.

There is one patient in general bed at BSMMU, six at Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College Hospital, no patient at Infectious Disease Hospital, one at the National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases, four at 250-bed TB Hospital at Shaymoli, no patient at National Institute of Neurosciences and Hospital and two at National Institute of Traumatology & Orthopedic Rehabilitation (NITOR) in the capital.

In the private hospitals in Dhaka, three Covid-19 patients remained admitted at ICU beds of Evercare Hospital, one at the general bed of Holy Family hospital, one at ICU of Popular Medical College Hospital, one at ICU of Enam Medical College Hospital and one at ICU of central international medical college hospital.

According to the DGHS, the country’s coronavirus situation remained under control as the infection rate declined to below two percent for around a month.