Assam opens 300-bed Covid hospital in stadium; built in 20 days by DRDO

Set up in an area of 3,200 sq m, the hospital at Sarusajai Stadium has 200 beds in general ward with oxygen facility and 100 ICU beds. It also has an X-ray room, pharmacy, ultrasound and ECG room and laboratory

The Assam government on Thursday opened a 300-bed Covid-19 hospital at a stadium complex in Guwahati to combat the ongoing pandemic.

Assam health minister Keshab Mahanta (first from left) inspects the Covid-19 hospital at Sarusajai Stadium in Guwahati on Wednesday, a day before its inauguration. (Photo: Keshab Mahanta/Twitter)

Constructed in 20 days at a cost of ₹21.46 cr, the hospital was built with help from Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and handed over to state government, which completed first month in office on Thursday.

Set up in an area of 3,200 sq m, the hospital in Sarusajai Stadium has 200 beds in general ward with oxygen facility and 100 intensive care unit (ICU) beds. It also has an X-ray room, pharmacy, ultrasound and ECG room and laboratory.

“Since assuming office, we have been able to set up 390 ICU beds and 2,684 oxygen beds all over the state to cater to Covid-19 patients,” chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said after inaugurating the new facility.

“Due to our advanced planning, we have been able to cater to oxygen needs of our patients as well as supply it to neighbouring states in the northeast to help them tackle the situation. The new facility will immensely aid our fight against the pandemic, ” he added.

On May 10, the day the new Cabinet took oath, the state recorded 5,803 positive Covid cases. Within the next 10 days, the figure rose to 6,573 cases on May 20—the highest-ever daily cases for the state. Nearly 80-90 deaths from the disease were reported daily then and hospitals were filled to the brim with patients.

The daily numbers have now come down to around 3,800 cases and about 40 deaths. The positivity rate, which is a measure of the number of cases turning up positive out of the total tested, hovered at 9% a month ago. It has now decreased to nearly 3%. The state has over 49,000 active Covid cases at present.