Mumbai: Amid rising COVID-19 cases, the Maharashtra Cabinet on Tuesday decided to appoint officers from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) in private hospitals so that the latter can implement the government's decision to keep 80 per cent beds for COVID-19 patients and 20 per cent for non-COVID19 patients in the present coronavirus pandemic. The decision was taken unanimously at the meeting chaired by Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray in the wake of several complaints received from various sections against dilly-dallying by the private hospitals to follow the government order.
In addition to this, the cabinet has also given approval for the acquisition of private ambulances for the transportation of COVID-19 patients. This decision comes close on the heels of media reports about several cases where COVID-19 patients died as they could not get ambulance in time. Further, the cabinet decided to pursue with the Centre for early start of suburban railway services to ferry staff from the essential services in the city.
BMC Commissioner Iqbal Chahal informed the cabinet that the civic body has decided to give a unique ID to each bed. Further, patients, who regularly need dialysis, can get it while it will be mandatory for laboratories to give COVID-19 test reports in 24 hours. The doubling rate of COVID-19 has been slowed down to 19 days in Mumbai.
In response to Thackeray, nearly 3,750 COVID Warriors comprising 450 doctors will be deployed on COVID-19 duty.
