Thane: With the reduction of covid-19 cases across the twin city, the Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation had decided to close down the Dombivli Gymkhana covid center.
The letter issued by Dr. Ashwini Patil, Medical health officer, KDMC on October 25 to Om Sai Aarogya and the contractor who was taking care of the center states the covid center was formed at Dombivli Gymkhana BasketBall court and will be open till October 31. "Due to reduction of covid-19 cases the center will be temporarily closed from November 1," he added.
Patil further said that all the patients admitted at the gymkhana center will be shifted to Art Gallery covid Centre in Kalyan. "We temporarily closed it locked due to reduction of case. It was formed during the pandemic. Soon if the third wave comes and cases start increasing, we will start the center again for the citizens. All the beds and equipment are kept as it is. We have kept the Art gallery covid center open for patients of covid-19," added Patil.
The center consists of 132 beds and had discharged 3,334 patients. Around 3,929 people have been admitted to the center since the pandemic. Around 349 patients were deceased.
Sahil Shaikh, the CEO of Om Sai Arogya Care private limited who was given the contract for the covid center said, "At present, we just have around 20 patients admitted in the center with a staff of 75 doctors, nurses including others. When it was full-fledged we had around 152 staff to handle the patients. We are informed that this center will be closed temporarily. However, the staff working with us are all on a contract basis and we keep renewing the contractor every month as per the contract," added Shaikh.
Azam Afsar Shaikh, Admin in charge with the covid center said, "Most of the critical patients from different hospitals in Kalyan and Dombivli were sent here. They were treated well and many of them were discharged and happy. It was all a teamwork of the KDMC, health, and admin staff. It's temporarily closed and we are ready if the authorities give us a call anytime for such work," added Shaikh.