Gujrat doctor says no shortage of beds for coronavirus patients, despite NCOC's claims

• Medical Superintendent (MS) of Aziz Bhatti Shaheed Hospital in Gujrat says there is no dearth of beds in the hospital as against the claims of the NCOC.
• Says the hospital still has 50 empty oxygen beds ready to accommodate coronavirus patients.
  
• A day ago, the NCOC had claimed that 100% of Gujrat city’s oxygen beds have been occupied by coronavirus patients.

GUJRAT: The Medical Superintendent (MS) of the Aziz Bhatti Shaheed Hospital in Gujrat on Sunday dispelled claims by the National Command and Operations Centre (NCOC) that the oxygen beds in the city's hospitals have reached capacity, adding that there is no dearth of beds in the hospitals. 

Speaking to Geo News, Dr Abid Ghauri said that out of 111 beds with oxygen cylinders at the Aziz Bhatti Shaheed Hospital, only 61 have been occupied by coronavirus patients so far. 

"Fifty of the beds specifically assigned for coronavirus patients are still empty," Dr Abid said. "We are assessing the situation on a day-to-day basis." 

He said that initially, there were 41 beds for coronavirus patients in the hospital which were increased to 62.

"It's been a week since we have increased the capacity of beds for coronavirus patients to 111," Dr Abid said. "We have never felt the need to refuse a bed to COVID-19 patients, and neither have we discharged any [before the completion of treatment].

He went on to say that there was never a shortage of oxygen beds in the hospital — neither in the past nor in the present, adding that currently, the hospital has 398 oxygen beds which can be utilised if the need arises.

According to Geo News, the deputy commissioner of Gujrat has also verified the information provided by the MS of the Aziz Bhatti Shaheed Hospital, saying that there is no dearth of beds therein. 

A day ago, the NCOC had claimed that 100% of Gujrat city’s oxygen beds have been occupied by coronavirus patients.