Private hospitals are set to join the fight against Covid-19, with three of the hospitals in Dhaka beginning testing and treatment within two weeks, leaders of Bangladesh Private Clinic Diagnostic Owners Association (BPCDOA) told Dhaka Tribune.
Anwar Khan Modern Hospital in Dhanmondi and Universal Medical College & Hospital in Mohakhali, with 1000 beds at ICU facilities between them, will be the first to provide treatment from the private sector. Shahabuddin Medical College Hospital in Gulshan will also be used for treatment, if required, the BPCDOA leaders said.
Gazi Medical College Hospital in Khulna, Green Life Hospital in Dhaka and two other hospitals in Sylhet and Sirajganj will also gradually join the fight against Covid-19.
Meanwhile, two hospitals in Dhaka - LabAid and Samorita Hospital – expect to begin testing for Covid-19 in their PCR labs, pending permission from the government and availability of testing kits.
BPCDOA President Dr Moniruzzaman Bhuiyan told Dhaka Tribune that government hospitals were currently conducting 2.000 tests a day, whereas 25,000 tests might be conducted each day if private hospitals were allowed to join the process.
“There are a little over 1000 Intensive Care Units (ICU) in government facilities, but we have kept 300 ICUs prepared at selected hospitals so that the government may use them for COVID-19 treatment when required,” he said.
“We have 7000 members - hospitals, clinics and diagnostic centres - in our association, and we will select 30 of them for Covid-19 treatment,” Dr Moniruzzaman added.
“The cases have seen a surge with the expansion of testing facilities and, when we receive the permission, we can do more tests to help separate Covid-19 positive cases more quickly, which will help reduce infections,” he further said.
The BPCDOA president urged the government to allow a fixed number of private hospitals, which have the capacity, to conduct rapid tests.
Dr Moniruzzaman also said the association was in talks with the government regarding permission, noting that formal approval might take two weeks.
“We need to test patients because we are serving regular patients with Covid-19 symptoms, and separation of coronavirus and non-coronavirus patients is required. If testing is allowed, we can identify a coronavirus positive patient through a rapid test in 60 to 90 minutes,” he said.
The physician also said there were about 5,000 beds at ICU facilities in the private sector, which could be used for treatment of Covid-19.
“LabAid and Samorita Hospital have PCR machines, which are needed for Covid-19 tests,” he added.
Dr AM Shamim, managing director of Labaid Group, said the group was ready to conduct tests if the government gave it the necessary kits.
According to BPCDOA, there are 15-20 PCR labs, 300 ICUs, 100 ventilators, and 5000 isolation beds in the private sector that can be designated for Covid-19 patients, as they are currently idle.
The association’s leaders said they have also imported another 200 ICUs and 100 ventilators in view of the crisis.
“One in every ten service seekers at private hospitals has Covid-19 symptoms. Fever is common for almost all patients. If allowed, we can separate Covid-19 patients within 60 to 90 minutes by using rapid tests,” Dr AM Shamim said.
While a PCR machine needs 6-8 hours for results, a rapid test has the chance to identify 85-90% of Covid-19 patients within 90mins.
“We do not have much time, so we can use rapid tests in emergencies to separate suspects and start their treatment,” he added.
State Minister for Disaster Management Enamur Rahman, who is also general secretary of Bangladesh Private Medical Colleges Association, on April 10 said that 69 private medical colleges and hospitals were open round the clock to provide treatment to all kinds of patients, including those with Covid-19.
Health Minister Zahid Maleque on April 13 said private sector facilities would be allowed to carry out tests as part of the expansion of testing facilities.
“We are approving private hospitals and medical colleges, if they are interested in conducting Covid-19 tests,” he said.
The minister noted that negotiations were underway with private hospitals, including Shahabuddin Hospital and Anwar Khan Medical College Hospital, regarding the treatment of COVID-19 patients.
"We are also adding private hospitals in each district to this list," he said on the day.
India and Pakistan have already brought private hospitals into their national response plans in anticipation of the threat of community transmission, while Bangladesh has been lagging behind.
The health authorities in Bangladesh reported the country’s first Covid-19 cases on March 8. As of Friday, 1838 people had tested positive for the extremely contagious disease in the country, including 75 who have died.
