06 May,2021 07:11 AM IST | Mumbai | Mohar Basu
The Shivaji Park Covid-19 facility is operational
As the city reels under the destructive second wave of the pandemic, Bollywood has stepped up to support the healthcare system. Last week, it was announced that Ajay Devgn and producer Anand Pandit have joined hands with Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to build a Covid-19 facility at Shivaji Park. With the actor-producer duo contributing over Rs 1 crore, the State Bharat Scouts and Guides Hall has been converted into a 20-bed treatment facility, complete with ventilators, oxygen support and para monitors. While the care centre is up and running, Devgn and Pandit have begun scouting for locations to build similar makeshift facilities.
Confirming the development, Pandit says, "We have earmarked two spaces, one each in Juhu and Borivali. Together, they will accommodate 50 to 60 patients. Given the current shortage of oxygen, we have demarcated funds for oxygen concentrators, which will remain our main focus."
Work is on in full swing at both centres. If all goes well, the producer says that the Juhu facility may be operational by May 12. "The Juhu centre will have around 25 beds. We are [converting] a school for the purpose as the classrooms have good ventilation and easy accessibility. Our team is working towards supporting it with the necessary equipment," he adds. While medical personnel from Hinduja Hospital serve at the Shivaji Park set-up, the logistics of the new sites are being worked out.
