Covid third wave: Delhi civic bodies to form dedicated facilities for children

As part of their preparations to fight a possible third wave of coronavirus cases, the three municipal corporations of Delhi will establish dedicated Covid care facilities for children.

The North Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC) has decided to convert its Mrs Girdhar Lal Maternity Hospital into a dedicated child COVID-19 care facility, reported news agency PTI. It is a 200-bed facility located near Ajmeri Gate in Old Delhi.

"We have decided to convert Mrs Girdhari Lal Maternity Hospital into a dedicated COVID-19 facility for children. Initially we will dedicate 70 beds to Covid care of children. All these beds will be equipped with oxygen support. Out of these 70 beds, 10 will be reserved as NICU beds for infants and another 10 will have ICU facilities," an official of the North Delhi Municipal Corporation told the news agency.

"We will also set up an oxygen plant there which will cater to the needs of the hospital. Other maternity services which are currently being offered at the hospital will be shifted to Kasturba Hospital near Jama Masjid," he added.

It will take a month to establish dedicated Covid care facility for children in the hospital, said the official, adding that regular meetings are being conducted to guide the process.

Meanwhile, the South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) is planning to set up special child care wards at its Tilak Nagar Hospital. The East Delhi Municipal Corporation (EDMC) will form two dedicated child Covid care wards at its Swami Dayanand Hospital in Dilshad Garden.

"Chances of children getting infected in the third wave are high so we are planning to dedicate two wards with a capacity of 30-40 beds to child care. All these beds will have piped oxygen supply. These two wards will come up in the recently renovated building of the hospital,” said a senior EDMC official.

A senior SDMC official said that though it is anticipated that the third wave will hit the city after September, preparations have been started in advance to avoid any crisis-like situation. 

“To bolster our health infrastructure, we are planning to create dedicate child Covid care facility at our Tilak Nagar Hospital. It will have oxygen-supported beds and NICU beds.... We are yet to decide on the number of beds to be kept for children,” he said.