Mumbai: BMC dusts off old norms to streamline bed allocation

This picture has been used for representational purpose

Faced with a massive leap in the number of COVID infections in the city, the BMC has brought back rules to tighten allotment of beds to patients in civic-run and private hospitals. A circular on Monday reiterated many instructions that had been pushed to the backburner over the past six months. It says 69 private hospitals will now be included in the list COVID facilities.

The move will add more 2,269 beds. At present, 30 government and BMC hospitals have reserved 9,397 beds for COVID patients. There are 3,218 beds in 48 private hospitals for such patients. To streamline allotment of beds, the circular says private hospitals must reserve 80 per cent of their COVID beds and 100 per cent ICU beds for Ward War Room-allotted patients. It says no asymptomatic positive patient without any comorbidity will be given a COVID bed. Hospitals have also been told to discharge such patients to free up beds.

The assistant commissioner in-charge of every ward will oversee the bed allotment and may deploy the police at select hospitals to facilitate the process. BMC teachers and other staffers will be made to work in the Ward War Rooms to ensure compliance with the bed allotment norms, said the circular. Doctors attached to the war rooms will make sure beds are allotted to the neediest patients, it said.

All hospitals have been told to charge as per the rates notified by the state government. Their bills will be audited by civic auditors. Private hospitals catering to COVID patients have been told to have a nodal officer at all times. They will be responsible for providing all information required by the BMC. The circular also warns of action under Epidemic Diseases Act 1897 and Disaster Management Act 2005 for non-compliance.

9,397
No. of beds in state- and civic-run hospitals currently