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Amid a resurgence of COVID-19 cases across the country, Khulna Medical College Hospital (KMCH) has prepared its coronavirus unit with 40 isolation beds and is preparing 10 ICU beds.
A severe shortage of testing kits and a non-functional PCR machine have left the hospital ill-equipped to detect infections.
The hospital currently has only about 75 rapid antigen kits which is a low amount to the actual requirement, with authorities requesting 5,000 testing kits from the Health Ministry.
The hospital’s PCR machine is also out of service due to a mechanical issue.
Dr Khan Ahmed Ishtiaq, resident medical officer of the COVID unit, said, “With the new wave of infections, we’ve reactivated the COVID unit. A dedicated committee and a panel of specialists are ready. We have 40 isolation and 10 ICU beds prepared, along with medicine and anesthesia specialists for patient care.”
Sources at the hospital said that no COVID-19 tests were conducted in Khulna during 2023 and 2024, leading to the expiry of previously stockpiled kits. While no new COVID-positive cases have been confirmed yet, patients showing symptoms are receiving treatment separately.
Dr Mizanur Rahman, assistant director of KMCH, said, “Patients visiting with fever, cold, cough, or body aches are being tested immediately. Those with respiratory distress are treated separately in designated red, yellow, and green zones.”
Hospital sources report that eight to 10 patients with symptoms are arriving daily. On Saturday alone, two samples were collected. Oxygen supplies are adequate, with 500 cylinders in reserve.
Since KMCH began COVID-19 testing on March 23, 2020, it has treated around 13,000 patients, with over a thousand deaths recorded.