COVID-19: ICU beds in Delhi’s private hospitals filling fast, less crunch at govt hospitals

The Delhi government recently directed 117 nursing homes and private hospitals to set aside 20 per cent of their current strength for Covid-19 patients to add to their bed size.

COVID-19: The number of available hospital beds assigned for Covid-19 and the rise in the number of cases in the national capital has shown an interesting trend. According to a report in The Indian Express, 74 of 82 ICU beds in the seven private hospitals in Delhi are currently occupied for Covid-19 patients but only 111 of 348 ICU beds at six government hospitals for the coronavirus infected patients are occupied.

As many as 412 fresh cases were registered May 26 and the number of coronavirus cases has surged consistently in the last few days. The rapid rise in the number of cases has clogged the private hospitals and few media reports have suggested that ill patients are finding it extremely tough to get admitted to ICUs of private hospitals in the city.

The Delhi government has demarcated 10 private hospitals and six government hospitals to treat Coronavirus-infected patients. Data from seven private hospitals in the city — Kolmet and City hospitals for Sir Ganga Ram (15 out of 20 occupied ICU beds), Indraprastha Apollo (9 out of 9), Max Smart Super Speciality Saket (29 out of 32), Fortis Shalimar Bagh (3 out of 3), Batra (10 out of 10), and Maha Durga Charitable Trust (8 out of 8) shows the scarcity of ICU beds for patients.

The Delhi government recently directed 117 nursing homes and private hospitals to set aside 20 per cent of their current strength for Covid-19 patients to add to their bed size.

According to the Delhi government, there are 7,223 active cases of coronavirus in the city, of which 2,092 are receiving treatment in 13 Covid-designated hospitals (seven private and six government) while the rest are either in Covid-19 health centres, care centres or isolated from home. Of those admitted to hospitals, 185 are admitted to the ICU, and 27 are on support from the ventilator. To date, 288 individuals have succumbed to the disease.

While there is a 90 per cent occupancy in private hospitals for ICU beds, the crunch is currently less present in government hospitals. Delhi’s Lok Nayak hospital, which is being run by the state government, has 41 Covid-19 ICU beds out of its full capacity-2000 beds for Covid-19 treatment. The hospital has 125 ventilators, and more devices are being introduced by the Government.