Private hospitals show no commitment

Manish Sisodia deputy chief minister, Delhi

- SONI MISHRA

Q/An expert panel says Delhi could have one lakh cases by the end of June. How well prepared is the capital?

A/ No government anywhere in the world was prepared for the scale of impact that Covid-19 can have. We have been constantly working to enhance the health care capacity in Delhi. We have around 10,000 beds right now. We are already working on augmenting capacity in hospitals and setting up makeshift facilities. By the end of this month, we will have 20,000 beds.

Space is not an issue. We need to put in amenities such as washrooms and drinking water. We have to post medical staff there. That is what we are arranging for. We are scouting banquet halls and stadia. The Delhi government’s schools are closed right now, so we can use their halls to arrange more beds. By the end of July, we will need 80,000 beds.

Q/Did the lockdown help in keeping numbers low, or was the benefit limited?

A/The lockdown did help in controlling the pandemic. Otherwise, there would have been mayhem. It was a time when we augmented our medical infrastructure. More importantly, the lockdown helped in bringing about the behavioural change required to fight Covid-19. People understood the importance of social distancing, wearing masks and washing hands.