With COVID-19 running rampant across Maharashtra, last week, the State Government set up a critical care task force to deal with cases in Mumbai, and another committee to handle cases in the rest of Maharashtra.
Members of this task force are now reportedly discussing the feasibility of opening OPDs or out-patient departments in private hospitals across the city.
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is facing troubles of its own, as detailed by the Deputy Executive Health Officer, Dr Daksha Shah. “Every private hospital is referring patients to us. We have dedicated Kasturba and Nair hospitals for COVID-19 treatment. The rest of the hospitals are managing all kinds of patients, including dialysis services,” Shah said.
However, officials from private hospitals are concerned this may lead to new cases in their institutions and thus lead to their closure or sealing as per government norms. The government has previously advised private hospitals to provide all protective equipment and make sure protection protocol is strictly followed to ensure the safety of the staff.
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“We admit emergency patients to save their lives. But if any test positive, our entire ICU staff has to be quarantined…We need government support to continue working,” a doctor from a sealed hospital said.
So far, the city has seen the sealing and quarantining of staff from hospitals in Breach Candy, Shushruta, Hinduja Khar, Jaslok, Bhatia, Wockhardt, and Sai Hospital in Chembur.
“It is a big reason why private hospitals are not willing to admit new patients, we don’t know who can be infected,” a doctor from a South Mumbai hospital said.
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