With leaf from Mumbai’s book, city stadiums to turn hospitals
AUGMENTING Govt has so far identified three spaces in the city that will have around 25k Covid beds
nNEWDELHI: The Delhi government has earmarked 12,000 beds in banquet halls, 10,000 beds in a religious institute and 2,700 beds in two stadiums in its first round of scouting for spaces that can be turned into makeshift hospitals, anticipating a surge in Covid-19 cases.
The modalities of the operation were worked out in a late-night meeting chaired by Delhi health minister Satyendar Jain on Thursday. The Delhi government has also reached out to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), the civic body in Mumbai, for insight into how they converted stadiums in the city into observation centres and Covid care facilities.
Iqbal Singh Chahal, commissioner of the BMC, said, “Top officers from Delhi have approached me to help them with construction of Mumbai-like jumbo facilities in Delhi.”
A senior government official said, “The BMC has told us how they converted the NSCI Dome in Mumbai’s Worli area into a 457bed facility. We will have a greater challenge on our hands because we are turning all these spaces into makeshift hospitals, while the BMC converted them into observation and Covid care centres. In the stadiums category, we have estimated bed capacities in two facilities so far. Pragati Maidan can accommodate up to 2,500 beds, keeping social distancing norms in mind, and Talkatora Stadium will have around 200 beds.”
The government has also identified more than 50 banquet halls across Delhi’s 11 districts and one religious institute in south Delhi’s Bhati area, to set up makeshift hospitals.
Deputy chief minister Manish
Sisodia had, on Tuesday, said the Capital would have 550,000 cases of Covid-19 by July 31. On Wednesday, chief minister Arvind Kejriwal added that the city would concurrently need 150,000 beds to treat Covid-19 patients, including those coming from other states. To this effect, the government has put in place augmentation plans to meet the city’s project hospital bed needs.
As per the list of banquet halls submitted by three districts — northwest, west and south — to the health department that HT
has accessed, the criteria set for the identification of such spaces included central air-conditioning, separate entries and exits, toilet facilities, pucca roof and pucca floor.
The west district administration has identified 22 banquet halls that met the criterion. A total of 3,280 beds have been earmarked in these halls.
The northwest district identified 13 banquet halls in Punjabi Bagh and Rajouri Garden areas that will accommodate 2,350 beds.
The south district identified
two halls, which may house 225 beds. The district also identified a large covered area owned by Radha Saomi Satsang Beas — a religious institution — in Bhati, which will accommodate 10,000 beds. However, the space does not have ACS, and only has fans.
“We are focusing only on airconditioned facilities in the first phase. All such makeshift hospitals will be divided into zones or enclosures for better management. These zones will also be split up for those who need critical care and those whose condition is not very serious. Sanitisers and essentials kits will be provided at every bed,” said a second senior government official.
Arranging thousands of beds will not be a challenge, the official said, as many private companies have already presented before the government different versions of one-time use beds.
The problem the government is facing now, though, is of staff.
“Getting medical personnel and supporting staff is the biggest challenge. Ideally, there should be one medical team for 10 patients, but because of manpower shortage, we might have to go with one team for 50 patients. We are making it clear that nursing associations and private hospitals will have to chip in with staff,” the official said.
Banquet hall owners, however, wondered how the government will set up makeshift hospitals in thee spaces since a majority of those operate on generators and have staff shortages.
“All our workers have gone to their home states. Who will provide basic necessities such as plumbing and power supply? Most banquet halls also have very few toilets, especially those meant for females. There is no bathing area. A wedding is a matter of just six hours or so for which generators suffice, but running a full-fledged hospital on our generators is difficult,” said Ramesh Dang, president of Delhi Banquet Federation.
Government officials said they will rope in the Public Works Department and the power department for civil engineering and power supply related tasks.
“Bathrooms will have to be built in some places and power supply points for medical equipment have to be set up. We are also considering putting up large LED screens for patients’ recreation,” the official added.