In order to tide over the shortage of ventilators and ICU beds, Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) and Dr. D Y Patil hospital have signed an agreement to make available 200 ICU beds and 80 ventilators at the D Y Patil Hospital, Nerul.
The city has been facing acute shortage of ventilators and ICU beds after demand shoots up.
At present, the number of active positive cases under the NMMC is 4,831 and it is increasing every day.
A fortnight ago, Airoli MLA Ganesh Naik had also alleged that the civic body did not have a single ventilator available for COVID-19 patients, and it was playing with the lives of common people.
The civic chief Abhijit Bangar too had admitted in an exclusive interview with The Free Press Journal that more than 95% ventilators and ICU beds were occupied. However, he had assured that within 15 to 30 days the ventilators shortage will be solved.
As per the agreement, ICU beds will be made available in phase-wise. “A total of 50 ICU beds will be made available by August 10 at the Dr. D Y Patil Hospital in Nerul,” said a senior civic official. He added the remaining 150 beds in 30 days in three phases of 10 days.
At present, the civic body has 93 ventilators and with the help of Dr. D Y Patil Hospital, the civic body will get 80 more ventilators. “We will have then 173 ventilators to meet the present and future demands,” said the official.
Patients with severe symptoms in the NMMC area are referred to the ICU. Now, such patients referred to the D Y Patil hospital do not need to pay as the facility is being made available free of cost by the civic body. “All the 200 ICU beds and 80 ventilators at D Y Patil hospital is free of cost available for patients,” said the official.
In the last few days, more positive cases are being reported as the civic body has increased the testing. Around 3,000 tests are being conducted per day. The recovery rate has reached 67% and the overall mortality rate stands at 2.64%.
