Silchar Medical College reports 'Zero' patients in COVID wards; ICU to be used for general patients

On March 31, Karimganj resident, Jamal Uddin tested positive for COVID 19. He was the first resident of Assam to have been infected by the virus that caused a pandemic. Wailing the siren, an ambulance rushed him to the Silchar Medical College and Hospital – a COVID Hospital back then.

Over the next few months, the number of COVID positive cases in SMCH crossed 100 and at one stage more than 250 patients were being treated at the hospital. The ward had to be expanded, the resources got stretched, the dead bodies were wrapped in black polythene, but SMCH did not stop healing. Today, after almost 10 months, the COVID wards of SMCH have zero patients.

Making January 23, 2021, SMCH which treated symptomatic patients, have confirmed that they have zero patients in the COVID wards after the last lot was discharged earlier today. “We will continue to have a COVID ward in the hospital, in case, there are new patients,” said, Principal SMCH, Dr. Babul Bezbaruah.

In September a 42-bed ICU unit was inaugurated by the health minister of Assam, Himanta Biswa Sarma. That unit was used for COVID patients. Now that the COVID patients in the hospital have dried up, Dr. Bezbaruah informed that the administration is planning to use it as a general ICU to meet the high demand.

“It will take us a week to do so and the unit needs to be sanitised and some logistical issues need to be ironed out. At the same time, we are planning to use the ICU on the lower floor for COVID patients,” Dr. Bezbaruah added.