BHOPAL: Arranging beds has become a challenge for the government because of the rising number of corona patients. Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has set the target for increasing the number of beds from 24,000 to 100,000.
The shortage of beds has occurred, since there are 45,000 active cases in the state. Beds are available to the patients who are only ill, but there is a shortage of beds for those who are in ICU, HDU and require oxygen-supported beds.
The number of patients admitted to the hospitals has shot up to 18,000 and the number of cases is bound to increase in the coming days.
Oxygen shortage has become a big barrier in treating patients in government, as well as private, hospitals. This is why the hospitals are opposed to increasing the number of beds.
According to a director of a private hospital, only an increase in the number of beds will not help. What a patient needs is oxygen. Besides, the Remdesivir injection is required for those who are in a serious condition, he says. Before increasing the number of beds, the hospitals need nursing staff and other facilities, he adds.
The government has made a proposal that if the private hospitals want to open hospitals for treating corona patients, they can do so in government buildings. Apart from that, there are plans to increase the number of beds in government hospitals.
According to medical education minister Vishwash Sarang, there are plans to set up temporary hospitals. Sarang says the number of beds is being increased in the gas relief hospitals, as well as in Hamidia Hospital. The number of beds is set to go up by month-end, he promised.
