HealthMin Rafila: 25k available beds for COVID-19 patients, with 2,805 in ICU

Health Minister Alexandru Rafila said on Wednesday that the 25,000 beds allocated to COVID patients, in view of the fifth wave of the pandemic generated by the Omicron variant, represent 20 pct of the total number of hospital beds across the country, with the possibility of increasing up to 30 pct, agerpres reports.

"The budget allocated to the ICU wards of hospitals has increased by 65 pct for 2021 to ensure all the necessary resources and equipment. There are 2,805 ICU beds fully operational at the national level, which have equipment and staff," Rafila said in a press conference on Wednesday.

He said the ICU beds must have "trained staff".

"This idea that ICU beds can be made without trained staff, which can meet the requirements related to the treatment of patients who need intensive care, is an idea that I do not embrace. (...) The number of hospitals benefiting from additional funding through the ICU priority action programme has increased from 116 to 128 units," Rafila added.

The minister said that, in order to increase the patient's safety, the hospital managers have to order the verification and remediation of the deficiencies of the electrical circuits and of the oxygen installations, the provision of the necessary oxygen capacities during the pandemic peak period and the reporting to the Ministry of Health of the major problems.