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- Doctors Without Borders Opens Temporary 100-bed Covid-19 Treatment Centre In India
Patna, 19 June 2020: Médecins Sans Frontières(MSF)/Doctors Without Borders in collaboration with the Bihar government, inaugurated a 100-bed temporary hospital for COVID-19 patients at the Patliputra Sports complex in Patna. This COVID -19 treatment centre, the first-of-its-kind to be fully managed by MSF in India, was opened by Shri Nitish Kumar, Honourable Chief Minister of Bihar in the presence of Shri Mangal Pandey, Health Minister, Bihar. This temporary hospital will initially provide medical care to patients with mild or moderate symptoms to support the isolation of confirmed COVID cases, and reduce community spread.
As the pandemic evolves, and oxygen demand outstrips existing supplies, the focus will switch to providing high-flow oxygen to moderate-severe cases, and dignified palliative care to those who require it. The indoor stadium was remodelled by MSF to become a temporary treatment center with facilities like triage, isolation, personal protection equipment, and infection prevention and control measures.
Managed by 180 MSF staff from across the country, this center will offer inpatient care, mental health support, access to all essential drugs and medical supplies to manage moderate cases.
Shri Mangal Pandey, Health Minister, Bihar added
“In these times when the world is grappling with a pandemic, it is essential for all stakeholders to work together and fight this battle against COVID – 19. This initiative by MSF to open a temporary hospital to provide free treatment to COVID – 19 positive patients is an excellent example of how every contribution counts and the Bihar government wholeheartedly supports their work.”
Dr. Prince Mathew, Country Director, Doctors Without Borders, India, commenting on the announcement said,
“Responding to emergencies is at the core of what MSF does –.we are putting our knowledge and experience in epidemic management to help mitigate the impact of COVID-19 in Bihar state. This pandemic affects us all. For this reason, the response needs teamwork. Our partnership with the local health authorities enables us to increase treatment capacity, reduce mortality and prevent infections in the state.”
Earlier last month, MSF also donated personal protective equipment valued at over Rs. 1 crore to Bihar state Health department for frontline healthcare workers. This included N-95 masks, eye/face protection, gloves and high quality body protection.
For more information on MSF’s response to COVID-19, and their increased efforts to protect access to healthcare in their programmes around the world, please click here.
About MSF
MSF is an international, independent, medical humanitarian organisation that delivers emergency aid to people affected by armed conflict, epidemics, natural disasters and exclusion from healthcare in over 70 countries. MSF offers assistance to people based only on need and irrespective of race, religion, gender or political affiliation. MSF has been working in India since 1999, providing free-of-charge essential healthcare in Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Delhi, Jammu & Kashmir, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, Manipur, Telangana, and Uttar Pradesh. MSF received the Indira Gandhi Prize for Peace, Disarmament and Development in 1996 and the Nobel Peace Prize in 1999. MSF has a long history of humanitarian medical work in Bihar over the last 10 years including in Darbhanga district for Malnutrition, Hajipur for Kala Azar.
Currently, in Patna, MSF runs a treatment ward at the Guru Gobind Singh Hospital for the treatment of advanced HIV patients with severe complications.
COVID-19 remains a health emergency and a deadly threat, especially to the most vulnerable. Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) has been responding to the global pandemic since it began. MSF doctors and nurses are treating patients and supporting communities across Europe, Africa, the Americas and Asia.
Now the independent medical organisation is starting operations to combat COVID-19 in India. By setting up dedicated medical facilities to treat COVID-19 patients in Govandi, Mumbai and Patna in Bihar – where needs are huge and growing - and improving hygiene and sanitation among at-risk communities, MSF is working hard to save lives and contribute to the fight against COVID-19.
We need your help to deliver this urgently needed care. Your money will go to support MSF’s frontline medical staff and healthcare workers, supplying them with essential technical equipment and personal protective equipment (PPE), plus mental-health support for medical staff working during this stressful time. Your contributions will also go towards containing the outbreak by providing masks and hygiene kits to keep thousands of the most vulnerable people protected.
Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) translates to Doctors without Borders. Founded in 1971 we are an independent medical humanitarian organisation that assists people affected by conflict, epidemics, disasters, or exclusion from healthcare.
MSF works in over 70 countries and currently are in nine different states in India. Their teams are made up of tens of thousands of local and international health professionals, logistic and administrative staff. The actions are guided by medical ethics and the principles of impartiality, independence and neutrality. MSF is a non-profit, self-governed, member-based organisation. In 1999 the organisation was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.