COVID19: Silchar Medical College will become a general hospital again from April 25

Assam government converted Silchar Medical College to a COVID-19 Hospital even before the lockdown began in the country. Many departments of it were shifted to Silchar SM Dev Civil Hospital. Also 21 private hospitals were contracted to take the load of SMCH and treat general patients.

On Saturday, State Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, during his Silchar visit, announced that Silchar Medical College will again function as Normal hospital from April 25 and will be opened for all.

He said that the situation is quite under control in Barak Valley as there are no new cases of Corona infection. Lone case of Cachar district was released on this afternoon, after his three successive negative tests. The infected person from Karimganj and also Assam’s first Corona positive, will be released within a week.

On 30th March, Health Minister Himanta Biswas Sharma came to Silchar and dedicated the Silchar Medical College & Hospital exclusively for treatment of patients suffering from coronary disease. Next, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was also signed between 21 private hospitals of the district and government, to use them for treatment of general medical patients. The medical college was closed except for child and maternity department, burn unit, trauma and psychology departments. Out of total 1100 beds, 550 were earmarked for Corona patients.

The Health Minister on Sunday said that the government is trying to procure special kits for early detection of corona virus in suspected patients. With these kits, detection will be possible within 5 minutes of test, which will ease the procedure of doctors. If kits are received by 23rd April, Medical college will be opened for normal patients on 25th April.