The health department has decided to make three government hospitals-BC Roy Post Graduate Institute of Paediatric Science, Calcutta National Medical College Hospital (CNMCH) and North Bengal Medical College Hospital-as hubs for treatment of Covid-19-affected children.
representational image (iStock photo)
The state health department is developing infrastructure for childcare fearing a fierce Covid-19 third wave.
Experts associated with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and other medical institutes under the ministry of health have already warned that children will be relatively more vulnerable.
The health department has decided to make three government hospitals-BC Roy Post Graduate Institute of Paediatric Science, Calcutta National Medical College Hospital (CNMCH) and North Bengal Medical College Hospital-as hubs for treatment of Covid-19-affected children.
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It has also issued guidelines on how medical treatments will be provided to affected children and infants in the three model teaching hospitals and around 90 paediatric intensive care units (PICU) and 72 neonatal intensive care units (NICU) in the city and districts.
According to the guidelines, affected children and toddlers aged between 90 days and 12 years showing mild and moderate Covid-19 symptoms will be kept with their mothers in paediatric wards. Around 10,000 beds have been earmarked in different hospitals for this purpose.
In sick neo-natal care units (SNCU) 20 per cent of beds in hospitals will be reserved for Covid-affected newborns between one and 90 days. Around 350 to 400 SNCU beds will be kept reserved for these newborns belonging to the age group, health department guidelines read.
According to sources at Swasthya Bhaban, following alerts from experts as well health ministry adequate number of about 1,300 beds will also be kept ready in PICUs at different hospitals and medical colleges in the state. District health administrations across the state have also been asked to make arrangements for all other logistic supports like paediatric ventilators, adequate oxygen supply, nebulisers etc in respective hospitals, the sources added.
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