Surat: With Covid-19 designated government as well as private hospitals running out of space and beds in the city, the Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC) has asked various communities to restart their isolation centres for patients with mild symptoms.
During the first wave of the pandemic last year, Surat had set an example by setting up community isolation centres (CICs) for asymptomatic patients but later closed these as cases started to decline in the city. “As a unique model, Surat has shown exceptional resilience through CICs. Altogether 25 such centres with total 1,200 beds and 208 Beds with oxygen have been provided with medicines and other support by the SMC,” municipal commissioner, Surat, Banchhanidhi Pani tweeted on Wednesday.
“We are in the process to restart our CIC in the next three days. First, we are creating a 25-bed facility and more beds would be added later. A team of doctors from our Ahir community will provide free 24X7 service at the centre and SMC would supply essential medicines and other required services,” RH Hadia, coordinator, Ahir community's Isolation Centre, told TOI.
“Unlike previous years, the scenario is different this year. The Covid-19 patients need oxygen support at isolation centres which was not the case last year. We are trying to get through the civic body and private suppliers,” said a community leader, who manages the centres.
These centres provide basic medical facilities and some of the centres are also providing oxygen facilities. But if the patients’ condition worsens, they are immediately shifted to a hospital for treatment.