Many Ahmedabad hospitals go back to pre-COVID bed capacity

More than half a month later, the COVID figures reached 125. On November 21, the city reported 354 positive cases of Covid in a day. 

On January 8, AMC gave up 60% of the beds in the private hospitals in Ahmedabad. The step has long-term results for the private hospitals, for which the money received from AMC was a lifeline at the time when footfalls for all other diseases reported a sharp fall.

These hospitals had built infrastructure to cater to Covid patients including ICU beds, oxygen supply, and hiring specialised staff, Dr Bharat Gadhvi, president of the city’s Hospitals and Nursing Homes Association told the Times of India. He added, “Our stand is, let the hospitals decide now onwards whether they wish to admit Covid patients as the situation has improved now. There is no need for requisition.”

As of Saturday (January 09), out of 552 requisited beds by the civic body, 45 were occupied, whereas out of 3,440 beds available with the private hospitals, 330 were occupied. The hospitals are released from Covid-designated status on the condition that they could be designated again if the need arises, according to Mukesh Kumar, the municipal commissioner.

It makes more sense in hospitals specialising in the surgical procedures. Dr Ketu Parekh, director of his hospital said, “The non-Covid status would instil confidence in patients.”

“We have converted one of the floors into Covid facility, whereas another would be for the non-Covid patients. As we have put the protocols in place, we are confident of getting both classes of patients,” said Dr Alpesh Patel, director of Trisha Multispeciality Hospital.