Of the 80 deaths registered at AICTS so far, six were brought in dead. (Representational)Six months into the Covid-19 pandemic, the Army Institute of Cardiothoracic Sciences (AICTS), Pune, has admitted more than 1,650 Covid-19 patients and discharged more than 1,333 till date, with a recovery rate of 81 per cent, officials said.
More than 322 civilian patients requiring critical care were admitted during this time, and 55 police personnel have been treated in the ICU and discharged unhindered, they added. Of the 80 deaths registered at AICTS so far, six were brought in dead.
AICTS is a premier institute in national standing that deals with complex interventional cardiology, intricate cardio-thoracic surgeries, pulmonary and interventional radiology and pathology. With the spread of coronavirus in the region, beginning from March this year, officials said there was a need to separate the Covid-19 hospital of the Army in Pune so that the multi-disciplinary Southern Command Hospital could continue treatment of non-Covid patients.
AICTS was converted into a Covid hospital primarily for the treatment of service personnel, ex-servicemen, and their wards from March 29 onwards. The hospital converted its 600-bed facility into a 400-bed Covid-19 facility, with 20 critical beds (ventilators), 30 intensive care unit (ICU) beds, and 350 isolation beds. The institute has been treating several Covid patients not only from the armed forces fraternity, but also civilian patients of Pune and its surrounding areas, a statement issued on Monday said.
AICTS has also been treating uniformed police personnel of Pune district who have Covid-19, as well as civilians on referral basis, as directed by the designated civil administration. The hospital has managed complex multi-organ failure cases, and is also a key member in multiple research projects, including the World Health Organisation (WHO) study ‘Solidarity Trial’ – an international randomised trial of additional treatment for Covid-19 in hospitalised patients. At present, symptomatic and hospitalised patients of Covid-19 are given either the Remdesivir injection or Interferon Beta 1a, both of which are being provided by the WHO.
The AICTS Covid facility has 90 healthcare workers, comprising of doctors, nursing officers, para-medical staff, housekeepers and support staff working round the clock and following the guidelines laid down by the ICMR for treating Covid-19 patients. The hospital has simultaneously also been carrying out essential cardiology, cardiothoracic and interventional radiology work.
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