Govt to Increase Hospital Beds for Covid Patients

Health and Family Welfare Minister Zahid Maleque said the government has taken the initiative to increase around 2.5 thousand more beds in government hospitals within few days as the coronavirus infected patients are increasing in the country.

''The infection rate was two per cent a month ago but it has reached to 20 per cent now. Now 5000 coronavirus infected patients dying every day while the number of death has been increasing rapidly,'' he said.

The health minister came up with the statement while speaking at a view exchange meeting of Bangladesh Private Medical Association, through video conference on Wednesday.

He said the health sector has taken the initiative to increase around 2,500 beds of hospitals for the Covid-19 patients within few days. '' New ICU (Intensive Care Unit) beds also will be set up and the Dhaka north city corporation hospital will be turned into Covid-19 dedicated hospital,'' he added.

Zahid Maleque said several hundreds of beds of Suhrawardy Hospital, Dhaka Medical College Hospital, Sheikh Hasina Burn Institute and Sheikh Russel Gastroliver Institute and Hospital have been dedicated for the coronavirus infected patients.

 “If 500-1000 patients are admitted in hospitals every day then the entire Dhaka city can’t accommodate the patients. We have to do what is necessary now. The Prime Minister’s 18-point directives will have to be maintained……. Otherwise, it will be difficult to check the coronavirus in near future,” he added.