Assam Government report claims only 461 ICU beds at Medical College Hospitals !

Guwahati: The Ministry of Health on Tuesday at the ongoing budget session of Assam Legislative Assembly informed that the Government Medical College Hospitals in the state has around 461 medical Intensive Care Unit (ICU) beds.

Apart from this, the department also mentioned that there are around 10 pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) beds each in Lakhimpur, Golaghat and Sivasagar Civil Hospitals under Assam Government.

The department also mentioned about the introduction of 6 bedded PICU in Nagaon, Dhubri, Goalpara and Sivasagar Civil Hospitals have been completed, however, due to some non-availability of the tools and lack of technical team these units have not come into effect so far.

The Department also mentioned that the Government has taken the initiative to introduce PICU in Udalguri Civil Hospital as well.

In Assam, the health sector has also taken an initiative to introduce more Critical Care Units in Sivasagar District. Similarly, the CCU in Dhubri, Kamrup (Rural), Nagaon and Lakhimpur districts have already been completed, but due to lack of proper medical equipment and technical units, these units have not come into effect, claimed the Government report.

Based on a query by MLA Satyabrata Kalita in the question hour, the Home Department Minister, Himanta Biswa Sarma stated that the present ICU beds are not enough to meet the requirements of the serious and critical patients.

On being asked about the total numbers of ICU beds in the Medical College Hospitals, Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma also mentioned that out of 451 ICU beds in all the medical college hospitals in Assam, Gauhati Medical College Hospital there are around 177 ICU beds, Assam Medical College Hospital has around 30 ICU beds, Silchar Medical College Hospital has around 88 ICU beds, Jorhat Medical College Hospitals has around 70 ICU beds, FAAMCH has 47 ICU beds, TMCH 39.

It may be mentioned that apart from these the Ministry of Health informed that the 200 bedded Cancer Hospital in the state has around 10 ICU beds.

The Government also informed that necessary steps have been taken to increase the number of ICU beds in the state.

In Gauhati Medical College Hospital, the Government has planned to introduce more 50 ICU beds, the report further claimed.