Gulam Rabbani :
The country’s ‘largest’ makeshift hospital dedicated to treating coronavirus patients, at International Convention City Bashundhara (ICCB) located in Bashundhara residential area in Dhaka, is yet to install Incentive Care Unit (ICU) beds, which are very much essential for the Covid-19 patients.
“We could not admit the serious patients as we have not yet been able to install the ICU beds in the hospital,” said MM Jasim Uddin, Chief Operating Officer of the International Convention City Bashundhara.
The makeshift hospital will have 71 Intensive Care Unit beds which might be introduced within a week, hoped Jasim Uddin.
The official also said that they had already admitted more than 500 coronavirus infected patients in the hospitals so far. Average 15-20 patients are getting admission per day in the 2013 bedded hospital which started its operation on May 25 this year.
Among the admitted 500 patients, around 250 to 300 corona patients are from the two law enforcing agencies, police and RAB, added the official.
A high capacity generator has been set up for ensuring uninterrupted power supply to run electronic machines and air conditioning system.
He said that around 200 government appointed doctors, 500 nurses and 350 other staff are working in the hospital to deal with the patients.
The International Convention City Bashundhara is working as the hospital through an agreement with the Directorate General of Health Services. The government body is taking care of the management and giving technical support in the hospital, sources said.
After the mass transmission of coronavirus in the country, Bashundhara Group Chairman Ahmed Akbar Sobhan sent a written proposal to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to set up a makeshift hospital at the ICCB for coronavirus patients. Bashundhara Group Managing Director Sayem Sobhan Anvir later formally tendered the proposal to Prime Minister’s Principal Secretary Dr Ahmed Kaikaus and the Premier accepted the proposal instantly. Anvir also donated Tk 10 crore to the Prime Minister’s Relief Fund.
The group has dedicated its trade centre with 150 thousand square feet and four convention centres with 90 thousand square feet to set up the hospital.
