Maharashtra Government Prepares ‘Jumbo’ COVID-19 Facilities as Cases Surge

COVID-19 is currently wreaking havoc in Maharashtra as the cases have now touched 52,667 while positive cases from Mumbai currently stand at 31,972. Despite the state government’s efforts to curb the spread of the virus, it seems like things have continued to spiral out of control. 

Keeping this in mind, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray announced that the state has built “jumbo” COVID-19 facilities to accommodate COVID-19 patients within Mumbai.

“The first open hospital in the country has been created in a fortnight by the MMRDA at Bandra Kurla Complex. This 1,000-bed jumbo facility includes a 200 bed ICU," Thackeray said while adding that each ward under the periphery of the BMC (Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation) has reserved private hospitals with at least 100 standard beds and 20 ICU beds for COVID-19 patients. 

Additionally, it is said that there are over 360 fever clinics in Mumbai alone while the BMC is reportedly handing out 7 lakh food packets every day to those stuck in isolation or quarantine facilities.

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“These jumbo facilities will not just be COVID care centers and have all beds with oxygen facilities, but will also have ICU beds. We have created robust health infrastructure and will strengthen it further,” Thackeray added.

Recently, the Maharashtra Government requested the Kerala Government to send 50 doctors and 100 nurses to manage the new 600-bed COVID-19 health facility at Mahalakshmi Race Course. 

It is said that the state will reportedly pay trained nursing staff around Rs 30,000 per month, while MBBS doctors will get paid around Rs 80,000 per month for their services. Specialists and MD/MS doctors will receive a paycheck of Rs 2 lakh per month. This will be in addition to meals and accommodation. PPEs and masks will also be provided to the doctors.

This appears to be a necessary step given that Maharashtra’s health infrastructure is currently crumbling under the growing number of COVID-19 cases. The state desperately needs all the help it can get from doctors and nursing staff at this critical time.