Ahead of Cyclone Tauktae, only handful of Covid-19 patients left at jumbo centres in Mumbai

Patients being shifted to various hospitals from BKC Jumbo Covid-19 centre on Sunday. Pic/Shadab Khan

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) vacated its three Jumbo Covid-19 Centres almost completely ahead of Cyclone Tauktae and only a handful of patients are left at the facilities. The decision to move them was taken on Saturday evening after the IMD warned of the cyclone passing through the city.

The decision was also taken as there was a threat to patients due to the temporary angular structure of the facilities at BKC and Dahisar and the potentially hazardous material like heavy AC panelling and oxygen cylinders that are exposed to the elements.

Healthcare workers arrange for the shifting of Covid-19 patients from the MMRC Dedicated Covid-19 Health Centre in Dahisar to other facilities on Saturday. Pic/Satej Shinde

Civic sources said that the panels and oxygen tanks are generally stored outside the centres. They are a cause for concern as they could lead to a major disaster. With patients inside, rescue operations would become difficult and as such, shifting them was inevitable.

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The winds are expected to be at around 70 to 80 kmph. Although this may not seem much, stormy cyclonic winds could lead to trouble.

The operation of shifting patients took longer than what the BMC had anticipated. It needed cardiac ambulances to shift ICU patients and those on oxygen.

The process went on through the night till Sunday morning. The remaining patients who were not serious were shifted throughout the day to hospitals.

Around 580 patients admitted to Dahisar, Mulund and BKC Jumbo centres were moved to mainly NESCO and SevenHills Hospital, apart from other civic hospitals. While a lot of patients were discharged and many were also downgraded from oxygen or ICU requirements to a normal bed, Additional Municipal Commissioner Suresh Kakani, said that almost all patients have been shifted and that only a handful willing to stay at the centre remain.

Dr Rajesh Dere, chief of the BKC Jumbo Centre, said, "We have shifted 243 patients safely to NESCO and SevenHills. We needed to transfer 126 of our patients using cardiac ambulances. Also, hospitals had given us designated slots with a designated number of patients so that everyone was shifted and settled safely." The remaining patients at the centre are mostly stable ones on normal beds.