17 April,2021 07:03 AM IST | Mumbai | Vinod Kumar Menon
A fever clinic in the PMC’s jurisdiction. File pic
With 12 deaths reported in the past 13 days and over 500 daily positive cases being recorded under Panvel Municipal Corporation's (PMC) area, the Raigad district administration has directed major industrial houses and smaller set-ups manufacturing industrial oxygen in Taloja MIDC, Alibaug, Patalganga and Rasayani to have optimum production levels of medical oxygen.
A doctor from Kharghar said, "With people moving about freely even amid this lockdown, the cases are expected to increase. Kharghar is yet to have a super speciality set-up. The only bigger hospital in the vicinity is Apollo Hospital in CBD Belapur. It, too, has no beds; patients are referred to fever clinics or are on the waiting list."
Harshada Upadhyaya, BJP corporator from Kharghar, echoed similar concerns. She added, "It is a fact that the PMC is still struggling for funds, considering that it is a new corporation. A private 100-bed set-up in Kharghar's Sector 12 should become functional in hopefully two days. The hospital is waiting for an NOC from the PMC."
Navi Mumbai's Guardian Minister Eknath Shinde, along with the Raigad collector. Konkan Commissioner Annasaheb Misal and other senior officers visited a few offices in and around Taloja industrial area a few days ago. The administration is planning to acquire an office set-up of large industrial houses where a dedicated COVID centre may be set up for patients not needing hospitalisation.
A doctor attached to the NMMC said, "The CIDCO exhibition centre, which has over 1,000 oxygenated beds will be used only for patients with low oxygen levels. The NMMC will also get over 1,000 more ventilators in the coming months."
The doctor added, "The NMMC is also taking over private halls in Airoli, Nerul, Ghansoli, Belapur, etc. to treat asymptomatic patients and those with mild symptoms. We are anticipating that there would be over 1,000 such beds available."
Shailesh Dave, a trader supplying medical oxygen in Panvel, said, "The situation is normalising slowly. Two days ago, there was a sudden rise in demand for medical oxygen across neighbouring areas. It took time to convert liquid oxygen, which was in short supply, into the gaseous state. The gaseous oxygen is then converted to medical oxygen and is supplied to hospitals."
State minister Aditi Tatkare, who is also the guardian minister for Raigad, confirmed the arrangements being made to meet the oxygen requirements. "We have asked large industrial units, like JSW to focus more on the supply of medical oxygen. Fortunately, Raigad district's requirement of oxygen at present is around 25 to 30 metric tonnes (MT) per day. Areas under PMC have a higher consumption amid a higher number of cases. Raigad district will also supply oxygen to neighbouring districts like Sindhudurg, Ratnagiri, Thane, etc. The total requirement right now is around 100 to 200 MT daily, which JSW is able to meet," said Tatkare.
She added, "We are roping in smaller manufacturers to continue supply. We are preparing for the next 15-20 days, when cases are likely to increase. Industrial units have to focus 90-95% production on medical oxygen." Tatkare said that most units are helping the administration under their CSR programmes. "Other details of payment, if supply goes beyond a stipulated time, will be worked out," Tatkare added.
Asked about the rise in cases in PMC, Tatkare said, "Around 35 per cent people residing in PMC's jurisdiction commute to other areas for work and are under high risk of infection. Also, people still take the risk of not visiting the hospital as soon as they develop symptoms and struggle at the last moment to get a bed and ventilator. I appeal to the public to not take any chances."
Tatkare said they are continuing the vaccination drive with whatever little stock they have received. "On Saturday, the state is expected to get 2 lakh doses from the Centre and we expect Raigad to get 7,000 to 10,000 vaccines. Around 30 per cent of the stock will be given to Panvel," she said. Tatkare added, "There is also a new trend where instead of getting RT-PCR tests for Rs 900, the results of which take a couple of days, people are preferring the vaccine for Rs 250, which assures them of some protection." Nodal officers have also been appointed in districts to coordinate the supply of oxygen to various hospitals.
The Nagpur bench of Bombay High Court took a suo motu PIL wherein the intervener Dr Mukesh Chandak pointed out difficulties faced by patients in getting RT-PCR tests. According to the applicant intervener, laboratories are not giving patients their reports unless they are uploaded on Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) portals, which is causing delays.
Justices Z A Haq and Amit Borkar ordered that the reports should be uploaded on the ICMR website after sending them to the patient on WhatsApp and providing hard copies. The arrangement is to continue till further orders. The matter will be listed for further consideration on April 20.
