[ad_1]
With the city expected to see a spike in COVID-19 cases in the next few weeks, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), which has only 1,525 oxygen cylinders, is looking to set up 5,000 beds with oxygen support.
According to BMC’s estimates, cases will touch the 75,000 mark this month. Of them, 80% are expected to be asymptomatic. The BMC has set aside dedicated hospitals, with beds equipped with oxygen support and ventilators, to treat around 3,000 critical patients.
The BMC has noted that many patients without co-morbidities had low blood oxygen levels and died due to lack of oxygen support. The BMC now has 2,000 beds with oxygen support at Bombay Exhibition Center in Goregaon, 1,000 at MMRDA grounds in Bandra Kurla Complex, 500 at National Sports Club of India (NSCI) in Worli, and 300 at Laxmi Industrial Estate in Andheri.
“The government has allotted 700 oxygen cylinders to us as per our requirement and quota. We are well-placed considering our demand, ”said an officer in-charge of procurement. Apart from these, the BMC has a stock of 325 oxygen cylinders and 500 donated through corporate social responsibility initiatives.
Ramesh Pawar, deputy municipal commissioner (health), said, “We are in the process of procurement. The oxygen cylinders have reached certain places, such as NSCI. We have finalized rates with a contractor. The contractor will provide us with oxygen cylinders as the need arises. These are for patients who are between moderate and critical. They do not have other health complications, but have low blood oxygen levels. We have to prevent them from reaching the critical stage. ”
Sharing cylinders
Additional municipal commissioner Suresh Kakani said, “Even if there are only 1,500 oxygen cylinders, two patients can make optimum use of one of them. We are not only dependent on cylinders. In Kasturba Hospital, every bed is connected to an oxygen pipeline. At KEM, all beds are equipped with oxygen supply. Small hospitals are dependent on cylinders. We are providing oxygen facility at places like NSCI even if patients are asymptomatic so that in future, patients do not have to be rushed to hospitals. NSCI also has 30 ICU beds. ”
Recently, the BMC started screening senior citizens for COVID-19 symptoms. Those with less than 95% concentration of oxygen in the blood were referred to non-COVID-19 hospitals for oxygen therapy.
