KOLKATA: Several private hospitals in Kolkata are gearing up to augment facilities at their paediatric wards and training their doctors and nurses to be ready for a sudden spurt in paediatric Covid admissions, which is being feared during the impending third wave. Even though most paediatric wards at these hospitals still have enough vacancies, a swift rush of patients is not being ruled out. The state has already augmented children’s wards at multiple government hospitals and conducted a training programme for health workers.
Medica Superspecialty Hospital has already trained a team of doctors and nurses to attend to paediatric Covid patients. “We have scaled up the number of paediatric beds to 50. If needed, we will convert more beds and integrate them into the ward,” said Medica chairperson Alok Roy.
He added that other than healthworkers, employees at all levels have been trained to attend to Covid-affected kids.
Peerless Hospital is ready with paediatric consumables and has purchased three paediatric ventilators, other than tubes and masks. “We don’t have any Covid-affected kids now but had one last week. In fact, out of our 18 paediatric beds, six are now occupied while our eight-bed PICU is vacant. But we are getting a plan ready to use sections of our Covid wards for paediatric Covid patients,” said Peerless CEO Sudipta Mitra. Peerless now has 22 adult Covid patients in its 40-bed Covid ward.
A comprehensive paediatric and neonatal Covid treatment set-up with 35 general paediatric ward beds, 24 PICU and 6 NICU beds has been planned at RN Tagore International Institute of Cardiac Sciences (RTIICS). According to zonal head R Venkatesh, it will have adequate pediatric and neonatal ventilators. “Paediatric consultants and nurses trained to handle such patients are also there. Since there are no paediatric Covid patients now, we have not activated the same and are using it for non-Covid paediatric treatment,” added Venkatesh. Currently, RTIICS has 21 adult covid patients with eight in critical care.
AMRI Hospitals has set up a six-member paediatric-Covid panel. “We are drawing up an SOP for paediatric Covid care,” said CEO Rupak Barua.
Bhagirathi Neotia Women & Child Care Centre is planning to activate a 50-bed unit at New Town campus. “If needed, we will use the existing facilities at Rawdon Street,” said Neotia Healthcare director PL Mehta.
