BMC to manage Covid-19 bed allocation in 69 of Mumbai's private hospitals

Private hospitals had stopped informing BMC about new admissions and were directly admitting Covid patients. With today's order the corporation will operationalise 2,200 beds

BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation will manage allocation of Covid-19 beds in city hospitals in view of challenges faced by citizens.

Last year, the civic body had taken over beds in private hospitals and nursing homes for Covid-19 patients. Beds were used for non Covid-19 patients too for the time being, but BMC has again requisitioned the beds and decided to take over allocation. This comes in the wake of sharp increase in Covid-19 cases. Nearly 7,000 cases were registered on Sunday.

Also private hospitals had stopped informing BMC about new admissions and were directly admitting Covid-19 patients. To correct this, the municipal corporation issued an order today.

According to it, 80 per cent of Covid-19 beds and 100 per cent of the ICU beds at private hospitals shall be kept reserved for ward war room allotment Covid-19 patients only. "No direct admission on these reserved beds to be taken by the hospitals," said the order.

With this order the BMC plans to operationalise over 2,200 beds in 69 private hospitals. " Only 70 per cent of hospital beds in Mumbai are occupied and 30 per cent vacant. Demand for beds is higher in private hospitals," said Additional Municipal Commissioner Suresh Kakani.