Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) has decided to open a second dedicated Covid-19 unit on Saturday with over 600 bed capacity, as the number of patients is increasing daily.
DMCH Director Brig Gen AKM Nasir Uddin confirmed the matter to Dhaka Tribune on Friday.
Too many are coming to their hospital for treatment, and now it is overcrowded. “We can only admit patients when someone is discharged, as we have no more space left. We then suggest they go to Mugda Hospital and other dedicated Covid-19 hospitals.”
The second unit will be in building two of the hospital, behind the main DMCH building, Brig Gen Nasir said.
“We have also opened an eight bed ICU unit now and very soon will be upgrading it to 16 beds. There is also a dialysis centre and other various departments, including a cardiac centre, a blood bank, and a pathology unit,” the DMCH director added.
The second unit is now called Corona Dedicated Hospital-2.
He also added: “Not only Covid-19 patients but also other patients with heart problems, or diabetics who may have Covid-19 symptoms too, will get treatment here, because other hospitals do not want to admit patients in such conditions.
“We have basically combined all things in the Corona Dedicated Hospital-2 and provide service here, as it is not available at unit 1.”
“Now, Corona Dedicated Hospital-1 will also treat suspected and infected Covid-19 patients who require surgery, and children as well,” the DMCH director added.
“We hope that the temporary problem will go down when the new Corona unit is launched on Saturday”, said Brig Gen Nasir.
Patient overload
On May 2, the DMCH burn unit was converted into the Dedicated Corona Hospital-1.
Too many patients have been suffering and even crying in despair, as they all hope to get proper treatment in this crisis.
On Wednesday, the DMCH authorities put up a notice in its dedicated Covid-19 unit saying they were at full capacity and could not accommodate any more patients.
The notice asked Covid-19 infected and suspected patients to go to Mugda General Hospital or Kurmitola General Hospital for treatment.
The notice was also seen on Thursday and Friday.
Cesarean patient Sabitun went to a number of hospitals but was refused treatment without a “no Covid-19” medical certificate. She went to DMCH for a Covid-19 test but the hospital refused to test her.
Mostafa Jaman Uddin also experienced a similar refusal from DMCH on Thursday as he waited there for hours but failed to get admission despite suffering from breathing problems, a major symptom of a Covid-19 infection. After waiting for hours, the elderly patient was admitted to Mugda hospital, his relative said.