Few patients remain at special Covid centres set up in Delhi, many plan closure

Though no fresh admissions will be allowed at the centres, the medical equipment such as ventilators and oxygen cylinders will be stored by doctors for the possible third wave.

As the number of Covid cases witness a sharp fall in the national capital, only a thousand hospital beds remain ‘occupied’ for Covid treatment in Delhi as of now. On Friday, officials said that many of the special Covid care centres, run by government organisations or NGOs, are now planning to shut down.

Though no fresh admissions will be allowed at the centres, the medical equipment such as ventilators and oxygen cylinders will be stored by doctors for the possible third wave.

According to the Delhi Corona App, nearly all Covid oxygen beds, ICU beds, and ventilators are vacant. On Thursday, only 109 new Covid cases were reported in Delhi. Out of the total 27,278 hospital beds reserved for Covid treatment, including the ones at makeshift Covid centres, only 1,101 beds are occupied currently.

At Delhi’s Rakabganj Gurudwara, where a 400-bed facility was started in May to help Covid patients, the officials said there are only eight patients left.

President of the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee, Manjinder Singh Sirsa, said, “We have now six-eight Covid patients at the centre. Most of them have recovered and will be discharged soon. Once all beds are vacant, we will close the centre. However, our committee members will store the medical equipment in case of a third wave.”

In North Delhi’s Burari, where at least 1,000 beds were set up at Sant Nirankari Covid Care Centre, only five patients are admitted now, and the organisation will soon close the centre.

The makeshift Covid centre Sardar Vallabhai Patel Hospital in Delhi Cantt, which was set up by Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO) in April this year, has ‘zero’ Covid patients now. The centre has a 500-bed facility for Covid patients.

“We are closing the centre. It’s been around two weeks and we have had no fresh admissions. We will reopen the place if the Covid caseload increases during the third wave,” said a doctor. The centre was run by at least 50 officials and doctors from Armed Forces Medical Service (AFMS) and the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF).

The Radha Soami Satsang Beas in South Delhi, too, has ‘zero’ Covid patients now. The centre was started last year with 100-beds and was operated by Indo Tibetan Border Police. An ITBP spokesperson said on Friday that the centre is empty now. “ We plan on shutting down the place but are waiting for orders. We will have to be ready for the third wave so we might keep this place open,” said the official.

At Delhi’s Government’s Burari Hospital, where at least 700 beds were provided for Covid treatment during the second wave, the doctors said they have now started giving beds to other non-Covid patients.

“Earlier, other wards were shut due to Covid caseload but now we are reopening emergency services. The Covid ward has only seven-ten patients now. We are expecting more patients in the coming weeks but for now, we are giving the beds to others.”

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