NEW DELHI (UCAN): St. John’s Medical College, in Bengaluru in Karnataka state, opened the first Catholic medical facility in India fully equipped to serve Covid-19 coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) patients on August 17.
The care centre has 48 isolation beds, a 24-bed intensive treatment unit (ITU) and a 24-bed intensive care unit (ICU). It was blessed and inaugurated by Archbishop Peter Machado of Bangalore.
“The Church is always at the forefront to help the poor and the needy, whether in the education or health fields, and it is an opportunity to give our selfless service to our society and nation,” Archbishop said.
“Our hospital has taken a leading step to provide healthcare to people during these crucial times. It is a first in the country and I salute and thank people who made this possible,” he said.
The archbishop noted that the medical college has given free treatment worth over five million rupees ($517,200) in the last five months in tackling pandemic cases.
By the end of July, it had screened more than 5,000 fever patients, 2,000 patients in the emergency department, treated more than 600 patients on the wards and taken care of some 500 critically ill patients in the ICU.
“Despite the difficult financial situation of the hospital, we are giving the best of Covid care facilities, which is unique among private hospitals. It is the best thing we could provide during these difficult times,” Father Paul Parathazham, director of St. John’s National Academy of Health Sciences, said.
