Thermal scanner at Chattogram Shah Amanat International Airport remained inoperative for last seven months. As a result handheld scanners are being used to check the health condition of the passengers entering the airport from outside the country.
According to sources, about 1,500 passengers arrive daily through this airport and nine on duty doctors conduct the medical check up to detect Corona virus of those passengers. The airport authorities claimed, they are equipped with adequate instruments to detect Corona but passengers say the measure is not enough.
Meanwhile, like that of Chattogram Air port, there is no thermal scanner even at Chattogram Port to detect Corona virus. As a result, the port authorities have decided to send any possible Corona virus infected patient to the Bangladesh Institute of Tropical and Infectious Disease (BITID) hospital in Sitakunda. The hospital is equipped with a 10-bed unit to treat Corona patients.
BITID Assistant Professor Mamunur Rashid said, an isolation unit has been opened in two rooms of the hospital as per the government's directive from Jan 24. The government has provided special clothing and aprons for the patient to prevent the infectious virus. He said, if anyone coming from the airport or seaport is detected to carry the virus, s/he will be sent to the hospital.
Civil Surgeon of Chattogram Dr Sheikh Fazle Rabbi informed Bangladesh Post that if any patient infected with Corona is detected, s/he will be admitted in BITID. There are 10 ambulances and enough drugs available. However, Chattogram district administration has also taken the initiative to set up isolated beds in all the hospitals besides the government hospitals.
According to sources, beds have been kept ready in ward 29 of Chittagong Medical College Hospital and separate beds have been set up in different upazila hospitals. Doctors said that if a corona infected patient is found, samples of blood and cough will be collected and sent those to the National Institute of Pathology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR) for examination.