Kolhapur’s CPR hospital now reopens for non-Covid patients

KOLHAPUR: After a gap of around five months, Kolhapur city’s Chhatrapati Pramila Raje (CPR) civil hospital has started providing treatment to non-Covid patients.

During the first and second waves of Covid-19 pandemic, the largest public hospital in the city was converted into Dedicated Covid Hospital (DCH) with all 400 beds reserved for Covid patients. Major departments such as ENT, obstetrics, mental health, out-patient and in-patient departments were closed, causing severe inconvenience to non-Covid patients. Also, the hospital catered to poor patients who often visited the facility in large numbers seeking treatment for various ailments free of cost or cheaper rates.

Dean of the hospital S S More said, “ As many as 250 beds will be reserved for Covid patients while the rest for non-Covid. I have asked the department heads to get stock of medicines and equipment. Since the hospital is being reopened for non-Covid patients after a long gap, high turnout is expected in the coming days.”

Currently, 155 Covid patients are undergoing treatment at the hospital. The authorities claim that logistics such as oxygen generator, refillers, ventilators required to tackle the third wave of the pandemic will be placed in the hospital in the coming days. Along with Covid, the hospital also catered to mucormycosis patients during the second wave, for which, four operation theatres were completely dedicated. Now, the number of mucormycosis patients, too, has come down. Therefore, two operation theatres will be made available for surgeries of non-Covid and non-mucormycosis patients.

District guardian minister Satej Patil has directed the authorities concerned to open two major public hospitals — IGM Ichalkaranji and sub-district hospital Gadhinglajfor non-Covid patients.