100 bed Covid facility to come up at district hospital Patiala

Karam PrakashTribune News ServicePatiala August 17In the face of the third Covid-19 wave the Health Department along with the district administration has decided to set up a 100-bed Covid care centre at the district hospital Government Mata Kaushalya Hospital Of 100 beds 50 will be reserved exclusively for children The hospital will have 12 ICU beds for kids It is for the first time that Covid patients will be admitted to the district hospital since the pandemic broke out last yearThe hospital a tertiary care institute with a capacity of around 600 Covid-dedicated beds was brimming with patients during the peak of the second waveMeanwhile it was learnt that an oxygen-generation plant set up at the hospital at a cost of Rs10 crore for providing an uninterrupted supply of oxygen is yet to be made fully operational Hospital officials said owing to the paucity of funds some minor work related to the oxygen pipe was left unfinishedDr Sandeep Kaur Medical Superintendent said As soon as we receive funds the remaining work of the plant will be completed When asked about the oxygen level of the plant she said Earlier there was some issue with oxygen concentration However it has already been fixed The plant maintains oxygen concentration at around 96 per cent after one hour of turning it onIn May this year the district administration had announced that two oxygen-generation plants would be set up at the hospital However only one plant has been set up so far