After Delhi, ashram in Gurgaon to turn into Covid centre

Gurgaon: The health department is setting up a temporary 100-bed Covid isolation and treatment centre at an ashram in Farrukhnagar in view of the rise in cases of the novel coronavirus and limited number of hospital beds at the district’s only Covid government hospital. The centre will treat only asymptomatic patients.
The ashram in Farrukhnagar’s Bohra Kalan village was identified for setting up of the facility — which will also have oxygen support for patients — along the lines of Delhi, where the ashram of the Radha Soami Satsang Beas in Chhatarpur is being converted into a 10,000-bed Covid care facility.
At present, Gurgaon has only one government hospital for the treatment of Covid-19 patients, ESIC hospital, which has less than 200 beds. In order to meet the expected demand of hospital beds, the district administration had earlier directed around 50 private hospitals in the city to reserve around 25% of their beds for Covid patients. At present, the district has 3,399 Covid beds, mostly at private hospitals. The high cost of treatment at private hospitals — which generally amounts to lakhs for treatment of Covid patients, even after capping of rates — can’t be afforded by many.
“Everyone can’t afford such high costs, and they come to government hospitals for treatment. The aim was to create a government facility for the isolation and treatment of Covid patients,” an official from the health department said.
The ashram, which is under the control of village panchayat, was readily made available. Gurgaon chief medical officer (CMO) Dr Virender Yadav inspected the area on Tuesday. “A temporary treatment facility with beds and oxygen support is being set up. Medical staff will be provided by the health department. The centre will provide isolation and basic medical care to patients. They will be shifted to a nearby private hospital in case they need advanced treatment,” Yadav told TOI.
He added that patients from nearby areas will be treated here, so that they don’t have to travel to Gurgaon. In case the number of patients increases in Gurgaon, they will be shifted here depending upon the availability of beds, Yadav said.
The district administration is also identifying various other institutional buildings to convert them into Covid treatment and isolation centres.