With Cuddalore and Villupuram districts witnessing a steady increase in COVID-19 positive cases, the Health Department has stepped up efforts to increase the bed capacity at government hospitals and facilitate early treatment.
The two districts have been recording close to 400 cases per day on an average over the last one week, pushing the need for more beds.
An official of the Health Department said as of now, Cuddalore Government General Hospital had 180 oxygen-supported beds. The Cuddalore GH had almost reached its capacity. “Work is under way for increasing the bed strength and we will have another 50 oxygen-supported beds in the GH in a week’s time. Work on laying oxygen pipelines is in progress and the new beds would be kept for patients in need of hospital care and intensive care,” the official said.
Apart from 170 beds of which 25 were oxygenated at the Rajah Muthiah Medical College and Hospital (RMMCH) in Chidambaram, the Public Works Department has accelerated work to provide oxygen pipelines for another 120 beds.
With Chidambaram and Virudhachalam General Hospitals lacking liquid oxygen plants, efforts are on to provide bedside oxygen cylinders to at least 10 beds each in the two facilities.
The Department has also planned to ready about 30 beds with oxygen at the Panruti GH, the official added.
In Villupuram, work has been expedited to commission a 200-bed facility at the Government Villupuram Medical College and Hospital (GVMCH).
An official of GVMCH said that the hospital had a total capacity of 460 beds of which 360 were oxygen-supported. GVMCH had sufficient beds and oxygen supplies while another 200 beds will be made available to patients requiring hospitalization in the new block. The facility will be ready in a week’s time.
