Navi Mumbai: In order to tide over the shortage of ventilators and ICU beds, Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) and Dr DY Patil Hospital signed an agreement for 200 ICU beds and 80 ventilators at the DY 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 cases under NMMC is 4831 and it is increasing every day.
A fortnight ago, Airoli MLA Ganesh Naik had alleged that the civic body does not have a single ventilator available for COVID patients, and it is playing with the lives of common people.
The civic chief Abhijit Bangar too had admitted in an exclusive interview with the FPJ 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 that the remaining 150 beds will arrive in 30 days in three phases of 10 days.
At present, the civic body has 93 ventilators and with the help of Dr DY Patil Hospital, the civic body will get 80 more ventilators. “We will then have 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 will be referred to the DY Patil hospital and they 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 DY Patil hospital will be available for patients free of cost,” said the official.
In the last few days, more positive cases are being reported as the civic body has increased the testing. Around 3000 tests are being conducted per day. The recovery rate has reached 67% and the overall mortality rate stands at 2.64%.
