Only 4 ICU beds vacant in government Covid-19 dedicated hospitals in Dhaka

As Covid-19 infections increase in the country, hospitals are becoming full of coronavirus-positive patients and getting an Intensive Care Unit (ICU) bed has become uncertain for those who need it.

The total number of ICU beds at government Covid-19 dedicated hospital in the capital is 106. There are only four vacancies remaining, according to the latest data from the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).

On the other hand, there are 188 ICU beds in private hospitals. Of these beds, 144 are occupied by patients and only 44 are empty at the moment.

Low-income people prefer government hospitals because the cost of treatment there is significantly lower than in private hospitals.

The acute shortage of much-needed ICU beds means that only a fraction of critically ill patients can seek treatment in the ICUs.