The BMC has decided to outsource critical ICU services at jumbo isolation facilities and hospitals to private bidders, as the number of coronavirus cases continues to rise in the city.
Under the outsourcing contract, the civic body will allow private entities to take over ICU beds or critical care sections. The private entities will have to provide their own manpower, including doctors and other medical and non-medical staff, while the BMC will provide the health care infrastructure, including beds, medication, oxygen supply and ventilators.
This will also address the issue of staff crunch, it is pointed out.
BMC commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal said, “The decision was taken with a view to ensure that there are enough medical and non-medical staff for the ICU beds at these newly set up ICU facilities. In the last few days, we have added hundreds of ICU beds at many jumbo facilities across the city. We want to be well prepared, in case there is a rise in the number of cases. We want these ICU beds, meant for critical COVID patients, to be fully equipped along with the medical and non-medical staff."
Chahal added, "We had invited bidders for this and we got three bids. The lowest bidder has been given the work order.”
The BMC has decided to pay Rs 6,000 to Rs 6,900 for each bed to the private bidders.
According to BMC officials, the move will impact 2,000 ICU beds at jumbo facilities across the city.
Starting Wednesday, patients were admitted on these ICU beds, beginning with the BKC facility. Chahal added, "The private bidder will have to adhere to the Medical Council of India guidelines concerning the availability of staff for ICUs. They will also be monitored by the BMC hospitals’ deans.”
So far, the work orders were issued for facilities at Bandra-Kurla Complex, Mulund, Nesco ground and Dahisar Check Naka. For each ICU bed at the BKC jumbo facility, the BMC will pay Rs 6000. It will pay Rs 6,400 for NESCO facility beds, Rs 6,900 for Mulund and Dahisar facilities’ beds. The work orders issued currently are for a total of 612 ICU beds. These include 50 beds at NSCI Dome in Worli, 112 beds at MMRDA ground in BKC, 250 beds at NESCO compound in Goregaon, 100 beds at Mulund CIDCO and 100 beds at Dahisar near Checknaka.
The work orders have been issued for six months or till the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic is over, whichever is earlier. For better management of the facility, the ICU beds are arranged into units consisting of up to 10 beds and the civic body expects each unit of 10 beds shall have a full team of health care professionals to manage ICU round the clock, informed a senior BMC official.
According to the Expression of Interest, the team will comprise “one senior consultant, one associate doctor, six RMO doctors, ten nurses, eight ward boys or patient care attendants or multipurpose workers and two technicians. The actual requirement of the staff on the ground will be assessed by the service providers and shall be deployed by them to manage these ICU facility.”
