Sassoon’s 1,000-bed dedicated Covid-19 facility begins operations in Pune

475 beds have been installed and an additional 300 beds have been ordered as per orders from the collector: Manoj Saunik, PWD secretary

The newly constructed 11-storey building of the civic-run Sassoon General Hospital was commissioned on Monday. The building will now function as a dedicated facility to treat patients diagnosed with Covid-19 infection.

The dedicated Covid-19 facility in the new building of the civic-run Sassoon General Hospital was commissioned on Monday. (HT/PHOTO)

This is the first facility in the state built by the Public Works Department (PWD).

As the number of patients is increasing in the city, the hospital is now adding 1,000 beds to its already existing capacity for the treatment and isolation of Covid-19 patients, authorities of the Sassoon General Hospital said.

Dr Ajay Chandanwale, dean at Sassoon hospital, said, “The hospital has started to function and we are shifting the patients from the old building to the new one. I have personally supervised the process.”

According to Manoj Saunik, PWD secretary, this is the first Covid-19 hospital made operational after the outbreak.

“About 475 beds have been installed and an additional 300 beds have been ordered as per orders from the collector. The entire building can accommodate around 1,000 beds. At present there are 50 ICU beds, 100 isolation beds and 325 general beds. According to Atlas Copco Company’s head office in Sweden, the oxygen supply system - its supply, installation, piping, testing and commissioning in less than 30 days - is a first in company’s history.”

An executive engineer working with the PWD on the project, requesting anonymity said, “The extension of the building will go on in three phases, phase one which is currently completed, phase two is adding another 150 beds and then phase three includes 700 beds. The patients are now being shifted from the old building hospital to the new building.”

The new building proposal was approved in 2008 and construction started in 2009, however, due to frequent change in council of ministers, the project got delayed for almost a decade, said officials who are aware of the development.