ICU Finder: Website on info for corona patients

The ongoing coronavirus crisis is taking a heavy toll on our already fragile healthcare system. Newer problems are arising every day including lack of testing facilities, specialised care and ICU units for critical patients. The crisis is escalating every day with fewer ICU units being available, and the scarcity of information regarding these units are making the difficult situation even more herculean.

Realising the gravity of the situation, an enthusiastic young bunch consisting of students from Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET), Dhaka University (DU), Shahjalal University of Engineering and Technology (SUST) and many from medical colleges started working on gathering all the information regarding ICU and COVID-19 beds under one common platform. That's how the ICU Finder web app came into being.

Omer Faruq from DU, who is involved with this project said, "A friend of ours from BUET found it very difficult to avail an ICU bed for his father who was a critical corona patient. Another friend from my university had to go through the same troubles. These people could finally avail ICU beds because they could connect to the right people, thanks to the continuous efforts from their friends from universities. But sadly, that is not the reality for most people in the country. This made us realise the importance of a proper database with real-time information regarding ICU and Corona units all around the country, and we started working on it."

Users have to go icufinder.web.app and search districts, hospitals and areas from the search option to get the necessary information. The information includes the number of ICU beds and other facilities dedicated to corona patients and the number of vacancies as well.

Faruq said, "We have already compiled and arranged all the static data in the site. The web app now contains information such as the number of ICU units, Corona beds and contact information regarding all the hospitals that are providing treatment to the COVID-19 patients. 

Healthcare providers including doctors and nurses working in different hospitals can sign up and update relevant information about their respective hospitals. The number of vacant ICU beds is updated multiple times a day.