GUWAHATI: In a bid to combat the coronavirus scare in Assam , the state government has decided to ready Guwahati Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) to exclusively treat coronavirus patients.
This was announced by state health and family welfare minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on March 27 while addressing a press meet.
“To control spread amongst hospital staff and attendants and to prevent confusion, private hospitals are asked under PM Ayushman Bharat scheme and Atal Amrit Scheme to either give their hospitals for rent or take the normal OPD patients so that government hospitals are left for corona treatment. Now almost 100 percent hospitals and clinic have agreed to take the entire load of GMCH,” said Sarma.
He added that from March 28 onwards, all patients of GMCH will be redirected to private hospitals and nursing home. However, cancer treatment would continue at GMCH and maternity and emergency ward also would be running until a positive case is found for coronavirus.
An MoU has been signed for the same, the validity of which is two months, he said.
A total of 34 hospitals will share the load of patients from government hospitals including, Marwari Hospital, Nemcare Hospital, Shankardev Netralay, Sanjeevani, Agile Hospital. Pratiksha, Excel Care, Ayursundra, Swagat Hospital have also been included in the agreement.
He added that there are 4000 dedicated beds if GMCH, Dibrugarh and Silchar all could be bought together only for COVID.
The minister ordered that PM Narendra Modi had ordered states to provide one hospital exclusively for corona patients.
Further, reiterating the need to maintain social distance, he said it must be maintained at hospitals too.
The minister added that Dibrugarh and Silchar hospitals will be visited tomorrow and similar decisions can be expected there too.