Covid-19: Gurugram to augment paediatric care infra ahead of third wave

Gearing up for a possible third wave of Covid-19 the district health department has begun its preparation to augment paediatric care infrastructure in the district. Private hospitals have been directed to strengthen their Paediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) and Newborn Intensive Care Unit (NICU). Data is being collated on the beds available in different hospitals.

Gearing up for a possible third wave of Covid-19 the district health department has begun its preparation to augment paediatric care infrastructure in the district. Private hospitals have been directed to strengthen their Paediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) and Newborn Intensive Care Unit (NICU). Data is being collated on the beds available in different hospitals.

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“With the younger population likely to face the impact in the third wave, a 20-bed paediatric facility will be set up at the polyclinic in Sector 31. If required, the makeshift Covid care centre at Tau Devi Lal Stadium will be converted into a paediatric ward. Likewise, out of the 350 beds at M3M Covid care centre, about 100 will be reserved for children,” said Yash Garg, the deputy commissioner of Gurugram, during a meeting with Gurugram MP Rao Inderjeet Singh.

In a recent all-India serological survey by the All India Institute of Medical Sciences conducted among children of two to 17 years from March 15 till June 10, seroprevalence was found to be 55.7% and 63.5% in those more than or equal to 18 years of age.

The survey had 4,509 participants, of whom 700 were younger than 18 years and 3,809 were 18 years or older. According to the study, seropositivity among children was high and comparable to the adult population. “It is unlikely that a future third wave by prevailing Covid-19 variant would disproportionately affect children of two years or older,” read the study.

A state-level serological survey to cover children has also been planned by the state health department but was postponed earlier this week. The survey is important as the population younger than 18 years is not being covered under the vaccination drive.

Undisrupted oxygen supply

During a meeting with Garg, the Gurugram MP was told at least six oxygen plants were set up and five are in the process of being set up. Two oxygen pants have been set up at Civil Hospital in Sector 10, one plant each at ESIC Hospital in Sector 9A, ESIC Hospital in Manesar’s Sector 3 and the subdivisional hospital in Pataudi. More plants will be set up at Sector 31 and Sohna polyclinics. During the second Covid-19 wave in April and May, oxygen supply for Covid-19 patients was badly affected due to a lack of infrastructure.

According to Garg, the district administration is preparing to set up an oxygen cylinder and oxygen concentrator bank. It will have a capacity of 800 cylinders and 700 concentrators, which will be provided to the patients based on the requirement.

Also, private hospitals with bed capacity above 50 were directed to install oxygen plants before June 30. Garg said that additional 700 beds will be added to the existing bed capacity. “We are trying to make such an arrangement that over 400 beds are easily available with a 48-hour notice to handle the surge in cases,” said Garg.

Currently, of 2,889 oxygen beds, at least 2,305 are vacant. In the case of Intensive Care Units beds, of the 774 beds, 505 beds are vacant. Of the 261 ventilator beds, 163 are vacant.