Maha: Aurangabad hospital ramps up bed capacity in anticipation of COVID-19 third wave

The Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) in Maharashtra's Aurangabad has increased its bed capacity by five folds as part of its preparedness for a probable third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, an official said on Thursday.

The largest health facility in Marathwada, the GMCH had earlier reserved 208 beds for COVID-19 patients, and the number has now increased to 1,000, of which 60 beds are reserved for children, the official said. GMCH Dean Dr Kanan Yelikar chaired a meeting to review the preparedness of the hospital’s oxygen system.

The number of jumbo oxygen cylinders with the hospital has gone up to 1,600 from the earlier 500, while the production capacity of the two oxygen plants is currently 56 KL and will go up to 126 KL in a month, it was stated.

''We have treated 15,000 patients since the beginning of the pandemic, of which 10,000 were infected with coronavirus,'' Dr Yelikar said, adding that the lab in the GMCH campus has a capacity to test 2,000 swabs per day now.