A number of new measures have been taken to increase covid-19 testing facilities and treatment in hospitals for patients in Chattogram.
This week, the biggest testing lab for COVID-19 patients at the Faculty of Biology in Chattogram University (CU) was inaugural with the hope of enhancing testing capacities in addition to the existing ones.
However, the lab could start testing until Thursday as the testing kits sent by the directorate of health services were not synchronized with the PCR machines.
Dr Adnan Mannan, Associate Professor of genetic engineering department of CU said, "In the last two days, we have received about 200 samples from Civil Surgeon’s office. We started testing on Wednesday. But when the kits were given to the machine for testing, the results of all the samples came out positive that created suspicion - the test will prove that there is an error in the kit.”
“These are different types of kits which were not familiar and are usually not used in the country,” he said adding, "We have decided to synchronize the kits with the PCR machines first and would take another 48 to 72 hours.”
CU testing lab, with two PCR machines have the capacity to test around 500 samples a day, is considered to be the biggest lab in Chattogram, the badly affected region in the country.
Earlier Dr Dipu Moni, Education Minister Inaugural the lab on May 26. Health Directorate gave permission to test samples for coronavirus detection at the Central Biology Laboratory of the Faculty of Biology, CU. In the last few weeks, six sample collection points are supposed to set up in Chattogram metropolis area, but work started at only two collection centers on Thursday.
AJM Nasir Uddin Mayor of Chattogram City Corporation formally inaugured the collection center in Jamal Khan area and Kattroly area of the city. The centers are jointly run by City Corporation and BRAC.
A BRAC official informed Bangladesh Post that only 30 samples will be collected per day in each center within 9 to 12 in the afternoon.
The epidemic in Chattogram is getting complicated due to the crisis of medical facilities, especially in hospitals as there are not enough seats. So far 5,000 have been infected in Chattogram.
In contrast, the number of seats in all COVID-19 specialized hospitals is about 500 only. In this around 500 patients have recovered from the virus. In Chattogram, a total of 86 people have died of coronavirus. The death rate is higher than any other part of the country including Dhaka, the capital.
Where us at least 20 percent of patients need to be hospitalized and 5 to 10 percent of patients need Intensive Care Unit or ICU and ventilation services.
This week two other medical facilities - Railway Hospital and Holy Crescent Clinic, a privately owned hospital, dedicated for treatment of COVID-19 patients, were added to serve covid-19 patients.
Dr Sheikh Fazle Rabbi, Civil Surgeon of Chattogram told this correspondent that after more than a month of effort, the patients are being admitted to Holy Crescent Hospital. Patients are also being admitted to the railway hospital. Both hospitals are operating as extensions of Chattogram General Hospital.
