Sri Lanka's ICUs reaching full capacity; Dr. Sudarshini Fernandopulle

COLOMBO (News 1st); Sri Lanka's Intensive Care Units (ICUs) are reaching full capacity, said State Minister of Primary Health Care, Epidemics and COVID Disease Control, Dr.Sudarshini Fernandopulle on Monday (26).

She said youth who contracted the coronavirus is experiencing complications and this had attributed to the rising number of patients in the ICU. Sri Lanka is to add 70 more ICU beds to face the COVID-19 pandemic and State Minister Dr. Sudarshini Fernandopulle said a decision was made to immediately assign staff to ICUs that are not being used at the moment. Sri Lanka's Health Ministry has informed all hospital directors to assign ICU-trained staff to the Intensive Care Units of the respective hospitals if the said staff members are working in other wards. In addition, the Medical Supplies Division said it is in the process of increasing the number of hospital beds with High-flow Oxygen devices. At present, Sri Lanka is providing oxygen to a large number of hospitalized patients. Given the present situation, the Director-General of Health Services has instructed the hospital directors to immediately confirm the quantity of oxygen available at their hospital. Two local companies are currently providing oxygen to Sri Lankan hospital and they have informed the Director-General of Health Services that it can provide three times the current supply to the hospitals.