AIIMS to convert trauma centre into dedicated COVID-19 hospital

The All India Institute of Medical Sciences in Delhi has decided to ramp up its preparedness against the new coronavirus by converting its sprawling trauma centre into a "dedicated" COVID-19 hospital, official sources said on Monday.

The Jai Prakash Narayan Apex Trauma Centre has 242 beds and 18 more were being added, they said, adding the AIIMS administration would make an official announcement soon.

The centre, which provides treatment mostly to victims of road accidents, was closed on Monday evening and trauma patients were being asked to report to the main AIIMS emergency.

"All patients have already been shifted to multiple wards at main AIIMS hospital," a source said.

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The facility has about 50 ICU beds and 40 in the high-dependency unit. It has about 70 ventilators.

"The capacity can be ramped up, depending on the requirement," the source said.

AIIMS has set up a task force to develop a management protocol for COVID-19 and constituted several committees to be able to respond to the challenges that may prop up in the coming days.

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The premier hospital has closed its OPDs, including speciality services and all new and follow-up patients' registration, since 24 till further orders. It also decided to suspend the routine walk-in OPD registration since March 23 to redirect its resources to control the coronavirus outbreak.

Further, the hospital has been postponing all non-essential elective procedures and surgeries, and the administration has directed for only emergency life-saving surgeries.

The number of coronavirus cases crossed the 1,000-mark in India on Sunday while the death toll rose to 27, according to the Union Health Ministry. Delhi has reported 72 cases.