20 August,2020 07:40 AM IST | Mumbai | Prajakta Kasale
Jumbo COVID-19 Care Centre at Mahalaxmi Race Course in Mumbai. File pic/Ashish Raje
The much-hyped Jumbo COVID-19 Care Centres, for which the civic body is paying high rent to private entities, have an extremely low occupancy rate as compared to the private and public hospitals. Around 83 per cent of the city's total active COVID-19 patients are admitted at the private and public institutions.
There are a total of 16,066 COVID beds in the city, out of which 8,466 are currently occupied and most of those are at public and private hospitals. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) had set up five jumbo facilities, located at Mahalaxmi, BKC, Mulund, Dahisar and Goregaon.
These centres have a total capacity of 7,285 beds, but only 6,069, including 4,507 oxygen beds, 120 ventilator beds and 246 ICU beds, were set up for use during the pandemic. However, only 24.08 per cent of the 6,069 beds are currently in use, i.e. 1,462.
Whereas, at private and public hospitals, nearly 70 per cent of the combined 9,997 beds are occupied at present. The occupancy rate of ICU beds is also low at jumbo centres, with only 133 of the 246 beds in use (54 per cent), whereas at public and private hospitals the occupancy rate is at 94 per cent and 81 per cent, respectively.
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At public hospitals, 1,579 out of the 5,156 beds are vacant, and at private hospitals only 1,414 of the 4,841 beds are available.
"The BMC hospitals are resuming other services as well. They will welcome both COVID-19 and regular patients. We have started to direct new patients to jumbo facilities," said Suresh Kakani, additional commissioner of the BMC.
Kakani added, "Generally, out of inhibition, patients are sent to public hospitals and even after the condition improves the patients are not shifted as there are beds available." "The public hospitals are upgraded than jumbo facilities and if there are beds available in public hospitals, why should one go to health centres. But now as the hospitals are opening for general treatment, patients will be directed to jumbo centres," said an official from the BMC.
4.6k
No. of free beds at jumbo facilities
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