Nagaland Health department sheds more light on Covid facility at CIHSR

24-bedded Pediatric ICU beds included in view of the predicted third wave

Our Correspondent
Kohima, June 4 (EMN): Against the backdrop of Opposition party’s demanding for NIA probe into the alleged “flawed and fishy” 176-bedded (now 200-bedded) hospital at Christian Institute of Health Sciences and Research (CIHSR) in Dimapur, the Health department clarified that it’s not a makeshift facility and was needed to fight the crisis.

Health Minister S Pangnyu Phom said at a press conference in Kohima on Friday that it is a state government-sponsored facility and the Health department “support” the decision of the government.

The initial proposal of the hospital was for 176 beds only but it has been increased to 200 beds by including 24-bedded Pediatric ICU beds. This has been done in view of the predicted third wave that could affect children, clarified the Health department on Friday.

The hospital will now be a 200-bedded facility to meet the immediate needs of Covid-19 patients and also function as a full-fledged Acute Care Hospital to deliver high quality tertiary care post pandemic as well, it added.

The facility comprised of two floors (ground and first) with 43163 sq. ft.

The concept of a makeshift or field hospital was not considered suitable as it is a temporary facility and could not be put to future use, the department said.

The facility was initiated in view of the emergent requirement of ICU and oxygen-supported beds for Covid patients, it informed, adding that it is a smart acute care hospital and the structure will be made of steel and tempered glass.

Principal Secretary of Health department, Amardeep S Bhatia said that the hospital is a “pre-engineered facility”, and not a makeshift or temporal facility as claimed earlier. The guaranteed life of the building would be 20 years and can last much longer with proper care and maintenance, he claimed.

The hospital is expected to be completed in a few weeks after obtaining the necessary approvals. In view of the emergency, approvals for the hospital have been fast-tracked by invoking provisions of the Disaster Management Act, 2005, Bhatia added.

The facilities to be available at the hospital include 108 ICU beds (including 24 Pediatric ICU Beds), 88 HDU beds, four each dialysis and emergency beds, and OPD of Physical Digital Dispensary for Telemedicine, he informed.

He went to add that the decision to set up the hospital at CIHSR was taken because of the availability of land and to converge the human resources already available with the hospital, he informed.