60-Bed COVID-19 Treatment Centre Set Up in Teknaf

A 60-bed isolation and treatment center has been set up in Teknaf to offer services to alleged COVID-19 patients from the Rohingya refugee camps and the local community.

Save the Children set up a center with funding from United Kingdom Assistance and UNOPS.

The Severe Acute Respiratory Infection Isolation and Treatment Centre (SARI ITC) is located in Camp 21, Chakmarkur Union, Teknaf Upazila.

In consultation with the Ministry of Health and Inter sector Coordination Group (ISCG) in Cox's Bazar, this isolation and treatment center was established in accordance with the guidelines of the World Health Organization (WHO).

The centre will start providing health services from July 4.

Save the Children in Bangladesh Country Director Onno van Manen said  SARI ITC will offer care for moderate to severe cases of people with suspected and confirmed COVID-19.

“The centre will be staffed by an expert team of 80 health professionals and support staff, including Save the Children’s Emergency Health Unit...the plans for the centre include a dedicated area where pregnant women with COVID-19 can safely deliver their babies and patients can access gender-based-violence support services if needed,” he added.

A press release from Save the Children noted that an additional 1,000 to 1,500 isolation beds in the camps to support COVID-19 patients once the treatment centre is at full capacity.

Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commissioner Mahbub Alam Talukder, Additional Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commissioner Kazi Mohammd Mozammel Hoque, Cox's Bazar Civil Surgeon Dr Md Mahbubur Rahman, ISCG Senior Coordinator Nicole Epting and WHO Health Sector Coordinator Dr Mukeshkumar Prajapati attended the virtual inauguration programme.