State Minister of Indigenous Medicine Promotion, Rural and Ayurvedic Hospitals Development and Community Health Sisira Jayakody said a decision has been taken to convert all 118 Ayurvedic hospitals countrywide into intermediate care centres that have a capacity of over 5,000 beds to treat Covid-19 patients. Discussions have already been conducted to seek the assistance of over 1,000 doctors and nursing staff in the Ayurvedic hospital system on the Government’s program to combat the Covid-19 pandemic, he told the Sunday Observer yesterday.
State Minister Jayakody also held a crucial discussion with State Minister of Primary Health Care, Epidemics and COVID Disease Control Dr. Sudarshini Fernandopulle on Thursday (May 6) to expedite the use of the 5,000 beds in the Ayurvedic hospital system to manage the third wave of Covid-19.
He said the Pallekele Ayurvedic Hospital has already started to treat Covid-19 patients. In addition, the Navinna and Borella Ayurvedic hospitals are being converted into intermediate care centres and it will be completed within the next two to three days.
State Minister Jayakody said when Covid-19 patients are treated in these Ayurvedic hospitals, there are some safety and health guidelines to be followed.
Special training has to be given to the Ayurvedic medical staff on handling Covid-19 patients under the supervision of the Health Ministry. At present, we are making all arrangements.
He said, “We would be able to use all our Ayurvedic hospitals as Covid-19 treatment centres within this week.”
He said when all these Ayurvedic hospitals along with 5,000 beds are used to treat Covid-19 patients, most probably the issue with regard to beds to accommodate Covid-19 patients in hospitals will be sorted out.
In addition, steps are also being taken by the Government to provide 10,000 beds to treat Covid-19 infected patients within the next few days.
Altogether, there would be over 15,000 beds to accommodate Covid-19 patients.
At present, patients are undergoing treatment in some Ayurvedic hospitals. Therefore, arrangements have been made to use at least a part of such hospitals to treat Covid-19 patients.
However, we also call upon Covid-19 affected patients to get admitted to these Ayurvedic hospitals if they are willing to receive such treatment, he said.