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GTB Hospital to Get More ICU Beds, TV Sets and Tablets for Patients amid Rising Covid-19 Cases in Delhi

Representative image. (Reuters)

The hospital is also planning to increase the number of oxygen-supported beds to 60 per cent of the total bed capacity.

  • PTI New Delhi
  • Last Updated: July 9, 2020, 6:24 PM IST

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Undergoing an infrastructure overhaul in view of the rising coronavirus cases in the city, the Delhi government-run Guru Tegh Bahadur hospital is aiming to increase the number of ICU beds to 500 over the next two weeks, an official said on Thursday.

There are 1,500 beds in the hospital and around 75 of them are Intensive Care Unit (ICU) beds.

“Over the next two weeks, we are going to increase the number of ICU beds to 500,” Vinay Bhushan, Nodal Officer of GTB Hospital said.

The hospital is also planning to increase the number of oxygen-supported beds to 60 per cent of the total bed capacity.

“The hospital has two blocks — old block and new block. A medical gas pipeline has been installed in the new block. With this, oxygen can be provided to around 400 beds,” the official of the designated COVID-19 hospital said.

On Tuesday, the hospital also started in-house testing for coronavirus through the RT-PCR methodology. Earlier, it would ask the patients to get themselves tested in other hospitals and laboratories.

“To increase the pace of testing, another RT-PCR machine is being arranged,” the official said.

The state-run hospital, the largest in East Delhi, has also made arrangements for plasma therapy.

“We have got an apheresis machine. All other arrangements have been made. If a patient needs plasma therapy, we will be able to provide it,” Bhushan said.

The hospital administration has also arranged 45 tablets with which patients can talk to their family members over video call. cA tender has also been floated to install television units in each ward.

Motivational content will be played on these TV sets so that the COVID-19 patients do not feel depressed, he said.

Around 300 CCTVs cameras have been installed since mid-June at the hospital. The staff in the control room keep an eye on the patients needing help through these cameras, Bhushan said.

The hospital administration has also hired more 150 sanitation workers considering the increase in workload, he said.

Source: News18