Alarmed by the rising number of COVID-19 related deaths, the Mira Bhayandar Municipal Corporation (MBMC) had trained its focus on reducing the fatalities in the twin-city.
After setting up a mechanism to ensure adequate supply of liquid oxygen at its dedicated COVID-19 facility in Bhayandar, the MBMC’s health department had started offering vials of Remdesivir injection for patients undergoing treatment for the deadly infection at private hospitals in case of unavailability.
As per the lifesaving plan rolled out in accordance with revised treatment protocols recommended by the government for the management of hospitalized COVID-19 patients, the MBMC as a stop-gap arrangement to tackle shortage or unavailability started providing injections to private hospitals for emergency cases.
In the past one month, private hospitals have availed 334 injections (100 mg) on a loan basis to be replaced by an equal number of vials once they get their supply. However, only 153 injections have been returned so far, even as the MBMC awaits 181 replacements amid shortage.
Despite an alarming rise in the number of COVID-19 cases and mounting death toll, the MBMC is facing a shortage of life-saving drugs like Remdesivir injection which are administered for the treatment of patients.
“We had given an order of 4,000 vials on September 24. However, till date we have received only 300 which have been distributed to our COVID-19 facilities. At an average 70 injections are needed every day. While we expect to get delivery soon, other options are being explored to ensure adequate stock,” said a MBMC officer.
With 598 casualties so far, the mounting death toll continues to become a major cause of worry for the civic administration as the overall death rate continues to hover above 3.08 per cent. While the total number of cumulative patients has climbed to 19,421, the number of active patients stands at 1,877 as the rate of recovery is pegged at 87.26 per cent.
