Up PGI Covid bed capacity to 500, ICU to100, Centre urged

Dushyant Singh Pundir

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, April 22

In the wake of a surge in Covid-19 cases, the UT Administration has sought immediate intervention of the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare for apt utilisation of the infrastructure of the PGI.

In a letter to Rajesh Bhushan, Secretary, Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, UT Adviser Manoj Parida stated that the Covid cases in the city were increasing at an alarming rate. “As of now, we have 4,273 active cases, and the number of positive cases reported daily is to the tune of over 600. While we are trying to tackle the crisis by enhancing the capacity of the GMSH-16 and the GMCH-32, yet the help of the PGI is urgently required,” he wrote.

Parida sought directions to the PGI authorities to enhance the capacity of their Covid beds to at least 500, as they have nearly 2,000 beds, and dedicate at least 100 ICU beds to Covid patients.

Although the PGI was initially made a Covid-dedicated hospital for the UT, the hospital shares the burden of patients of other states too.

As of now, the PGI has a total of 283 Covid beds, 230 non-ICU oxygen beds and 53 ICU beds (including ventilators).

For successful implementation of the Covid management plan of the UT Administration, the PGI might be directed to coordinate with the Principal Secretary, Health, UT, Parida stated.

As the Covid-19 cases are spiralling in the city, Covid beds reserved in both private and government facilities are getting exhausted rapidly. Chandigarh has a total of 648 Covid beds and 99 ICU beds. Of the total beds, more than 80 per cent are occupied by Covid patients. There are less than 100 ventilators and as the cases are rising in the city, a majority of these are in use. 

Record 634 cases, four deaths in city

Chandigarh: The city on Thursday reported 634 fresh coronavirus cases, the highest single-day surge since the pandemic broke out, taking the UT tally to 36,404. The city also saw four Covid deaths. Those who died included a 40-year-old man from Sector 30, a 52-year-old woman from Sector 51, a 70-year-old man from Mani Majra and a 62-year-old man from Sector 26. So far, 427 people have died of Covid. A total of 482 more patients have been cured of the disease, taking the cumulative recoveries to 31,704. TNS

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