Bhaktapur, Sept 21 

The Bhaktapur Hospital, second oldest public health facility after the Bir Hospital, at Bhaktapur district has recently begun to render intensive care unit (ICU) services to the patients after 116 years of its establishment.

Built by the then Rana Prime Minister Chandra Shumsher JBR in 1961 BS, it was initially named ‘Chandralok Dispensary’. The now 75-bed Bhaktapur Hospital had 15 beds at the time of establishment. The Bagmati State government had replenished the Hospital with supplies of modern equipments and tools as well as services such as ventilators and ICU, informed Hospital Development Committee President Milan Suwal.

ICU service in the Hospital came into operation since last Thursday, informed Hospital Medical Superintendent Dr Sumitra Gautam. The Hospital has been currently converted into a designated COVID-19 treatment centre. It has five ventilators and six ICU rooms. Furthermore, the Hospital has 16-beded isolation rooms.

Dr Gautam shared that the Hospital saw revamp after Minister for Social Development for the Bagmati State ordered an overhaul of the Hospital. Dr Gautam said that she spearheaded the positive changes in the Hospital with the collective team effort of the Hospital staffs.

All regular services of the Hospital have been open for public amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, said the hospital management. There were five COVID-19 patients in ICU, 10 were receiving treatment at isolation rooms while 13 others showing symptoms of the flu-like infection have been undergoing treatment here.

Similarly, a total of 97 COVID-19 infected ones were being treated at the isolation facility in the premises of the Nepal Electricity Authority at Kharipati, Bhaktapur.