ZCZC
BSS-47
ISOLATION-BEDS-MALEQUE
There are 20,000 isolation beds in country: Maleque
DHAKA, April 29, 2020 (BSS) – Health and Family Welfare Minister Zahid Maleque today said there are 20,000 isolation beds in the country and 4,500 more isolation beds have been prepared for expanding healthcare facilities for COVID-19 patients.
“The government has intensified its efforts for collecting quality logistics medical materials, setting up medical infrastructures and increasing healthcare facilities to fight the pandemic,” he told journalists after visiting a 2000-bed isolation centre at the Bashundhdhra Convention Centre in Kuril in the city, an official release said.
Director General of Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) Prof Dr Abul Kalam Azad, Additional Secretary of the department of health service and also convenor of newly formed media cell Md Habibur Rahman and Health and Population Affairs Secretary of Awami League Dr Rokeya Sultana, among others, were present on the occasion.
The health minister said isolation centres with 4500 beds in the city have nearly been prepared and these centres will be handed over to the government within one week.
Among the newly prepared isolation centres, he said, 2000 beds have been prepared at the Bashundhdhra Convention Centre, 1300 beds at DNCC market and 1200 beds at four buildings at Diabari in city’s Uttara area.
Referring to different measures taken by the government to fight the COVID-19, Maleque said, “We have already initiated the process of appointing 2000 more physicians and 6000 nurses to provide healthcare services to the coronavirus infected patients.”
There is a total of 10,394 oxygen cylinders at all dedicated COVID-19 hospitals and isolation units. There are 13,745 oxygen cylinders in hospitals at eight divisions, while specialized and many medical college hospitals also have sufficient stock of the cylinders. A process is underway for procuring of 3,050 oxygen cylinders.
BSS/PR/MMR/ARS/2021 hrs