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School-turned-Covid centre in Kalyan to begin operations in 3 days
The first school in Kalyan to be converted into a dedicated Covid health centre is set to open in next two to three days. Haji Kalsekar English Medium School at
The first school in Kalyan to be converted into a dedicated Covid health centre is set to open in next two to three days. Haji Kalsekar English Medium School at Govindwadi, once transformed, will help locals get treatment for Covid-19 on time. Kalyan Dombivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC) commissioner Vijay Suryavanshi on Wednesday took a stock of the centre spread across 1 acre.
Asra foundation, which runs the school, had approached KDMC offering the school premises to help battle Covid-19, following which the decision was taken to convert the school.
An associate of the foundation said, “When curbs were imposed in our area in June due to increasing cases, we decided to offer the school space for treatment and isolation of people living in the locality so that they don’t have to rush to other places in search of beds. Also isolation at homes in Govidwadi and nearby areas is not possible as most of them live in small houses. The school will not reopen anytime soon, so why not use the infrastructure.”
The centre is set to admit patients in the coming two to three days while the work of setting up 110 oxygen beds, 10 intensive care unit beds and 70 normal beds is currently under progress. The centre will have 12 doctors, 20 nurses and 20 ward boys and a physician. The open area of the school will be used as isolation centre, while three floors with seven classrooms each will be used to set up the beds.
A fever clinic and testing facility in the school premises has already been set up and began operation in June.
Suryavanshi said, “Patients from nearby areas can get tested at the centre and also get admitted if required. The work of the centre is almost done. Patients will be admitted there in two-three days. Several doctors and residents have come forward to help the civic body to set up the Covid care centre.”
The centre will be useful for residents of areas like Ghass Bazar, Ansari Chowk, Doodh Naka, Rohidas Wada and Govindwadi in Kalyan (West) which has a population of around 80,000 people and has been recording around 30-40 cases each day, according to KDMC health department.
“Earlier when the civic body initiated surveying these areas in June, residents insisted upon setting up a centre in their locality as they don’t want to go to other quarantines centres. The locals living there came up with the idea of using the school. This will help in early admission and treatment, thus reducing fatality count in the area,” said Pratibha Panpatil, epidemic officer, KDMC.
