International school inYelahanka turns hospital

It will be functional for at least two months, and serve moderately ill Covid patients

Canadian International School, Yelahanka, has turned its hostel into a step-down hospital.

With 120 beds, the facility is now treating moderately ill Covid-19 patients. Each bed has a dedicated oxygen concentrator.

An NGO called Humanist Centre for Medicine and the Bangalore chapter of Entrepreneurs Organisation have raised the money for the initiative.

Shweta Sastri, managing director of the school, says the alarming shortage of beds prompted the initiative.

“With beds, washrooms and cafeteria already existing, we just had to get the medical aspects in place,” she says.

Cytecare Hospitals, Yelahanka, is working with health-tech company Cloudphysician to run the facility.

The makeshift hospital will run for two months. “After that, it depends on how the pandemic pans out. We may send the equipment to needy hospitals,” Shweta says.

Dr Samarpita D Choudhury, head of medical services, Cytecare Hospitals, says it took about a month to convert the space to a hospital.

“The availability of rooms and natural ventilation are advantages, as compared to many hotels, which are centrally air-conditioned and cramped,” she says.

Doctors and nurses monitor patients every four hours, and privacy is maintained. “An intensivist consultant keeps a regular check on patients,” she says.

Dr Jhaansi L is a resident medical officer. Working with Cytecare for six months, she has now been deputed to the step-down hospital.

“Junior doctors like me are now learning more about non-oncology clinical services,” she says.

For bookings, call 3509 0101.

Criteria for admission

RT PCR positive report

SPO2 above 85 per cent

Older than 14 years

No pregnant women

No infirm patients