ED: Scaling up our ICU facilities

It is alarming to know that 202 out of 309 Intensive Care Unit (ICU) beds reserved for critical Covid-19 patients were occupied in Dhaka as of this week. Any doubts anyone may have had that we are still in the middle of a pandemic should be dispelled the grim facts.

With these numbers, and also noticing the steady uptick in daily cases, it all but confirms what the experts had been fearing for so long -- that as winter approaches, we would see a second wave of the virus.

Therefore, it is imperative that the entire nation prepares for the worst, and anticipates further increases in the number of daily Covid-positive cases and critical patients. For that, all relevant stakeholders and authorities must do their part to ensure that people’s suffering is kept to a minimum, with the right facilities and personnel in place.

What also remains a significant cause for concern is that there remain no ICU facilities in the district level, with patients in critical condition needing to come to Dhaka to avail treatment. This is an unfortunate reality, particularly since the government has, on more than one occasion, said that ICU facilities will be set up at district hospitals.

For those among us that remain nonchalant about Covid-19, it is about time to acknowledge the problem at hand and start taking the situation with the utmost seriousness it warrants. This is no time to let down our guard, rather, we must strictly adhere to all safety protocols and limit crowds and gathering. There are lives at stake and the more people are negligent about safety measures, the deadlier this disease becomes.