RAILWAY HOSP GETS MORE COVID BEDS

The South Central Railways (SCR) has increased the number of beds at the Railway Hospital in Lalaguda for treatment of its employees and their families who have tested Covid-19 positive.

The hospital which had

110 beds earlier now has

245. It has been converted into an exclusive Covid facility after the outbreak of the pandemic. The SCR has also increased its medical staff by adding 198 to the existing ones during the second wave.

The hospital is planning to add more medical force and convert its training centres into

Covid-19 centres if required. With facility for direct procurement of medication and equipment from the companies, the hospital has never faced shortage of any medicines or oxygen while treating Covid-19 patients, especially remdesivir injections.

It was in June last year that SCR had sought permission from the state government to convert the hospital to Covid-19 centre to treat its employees. After the nod from the state government, the hospital started taking in Covid-19 patients.

An SCR official said, “The hospital’s bed strength has been increased from 110 beds to 245 during the second wave, and, apart from the existing medical staff, 43 doctors, 77 nurses, and 77 attendants have been appointed on contract.”

“Railways is prepared to deal with the situation, the stock of oxygen is maintained for an extra two days from the time of filling. As we have direct procurement facility from the companies, we never had shortage of any medicine,” he added.