Patna: International medical humanitarian organisation Doctors Without Borders on Wednesday said it has set up a 100-bed temporary hospital in Patna for treatment of COVID-19 patients.
The facility, set up in collaboration with the Bihar government, at Patliputra Sports complex in Patna will be fully managed by Doctors Without Borders in India.
It will provide medical care to patients with moderate symptoms, hence, decongesting dedicated government COVID -19 treatment hospitals to focus on severe cases, Doctors Without Borders said in a statement.
Managed by 180 Doctors Without Borders staff from across the country, this hospital will offer inpatient care, mental health support, access to all essential drugs and medical supplies to manage moderate cases and oxygen supply through face masks to support patients with breathing difficulties, it added.
The indoor stadium was remodeled by Doctors Without Borders to become a temporary hospital with facilities like triage, isolation, personal protection equipment, and infection prevention and control measures.
“Responding to emergencies is at the core of what Doctors Without Borders/M decins Sans Fronti res (MSF) does we are putting our knowledge and experience in epidemic management to help mitigate the impact of COVID-19 in Bihar state,” Doctors Without Borders India Country Director Dr Prince Mathew said.
This pandemic affects us all. For this reason, the response needs teamwork, he added.
“Our partnership with the local health authorities enables us to increase treatment capacity, reduce mortality and prevent infections in the state,” Mathew said.
Earlier last month, the organisaton had also donated personal protective equipment valued at over Rs 1 crore to Bihar state health department for frontline healthcare workers. This included N-95 masks, eye/face protection, gloves and high quality body protection, Doctors Without Borders said.
MSF is an international, independent, medical humanitarian organisation that delivers emergency aid to people affected by armed conflict, epidemics, natural disasters and exclusion from healthcare in over 70 countries.