Third wave prep: BMC adding beds despite Covid-19 cases falling in Mumbai

BMC contract workers seen at the newly developed Covid-19 care centre at the NESCO jumbo facility in Goregaon. File pic/Satej Shinde

In order to ensure that a third wave of the pandemic doesn't affect the state the way the second one did and that the city is well-prepared to face it, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) along with various private organisations has started augmenting Mumbai's bed capacity for Covid-19 patients. Civic sources said that the existing ICU facility at SevenHills was being developed and it would also set up three jumbo centres in the city.

A quarantine centre has been set up inside P J Hindu Gymkhana, Marine Drive. File pic/Shadab Khan

Though the civic body wants to increase the bed-strength at the National Sports Club of India (NSCI) by about 650, it has not yet been finalised, and they would do it only if the need arises. However, the BMC has already taken over the card room, banquets and coffee shop at the club to provide Covid-19 care.

While the entire dome area of the NSCI has been used for the same purpose since last year, even this year HN Reliance Foundation will manage the 550 beds the centre already has. With the city witnessing a dip in Covid-19 cases, about 150 beds at the club are currently occupied.

‘Not yet decided'

Additional Municipal Commissioner Suresh Kakani said, "We have not yet decided on expanding the existing facility at NSCI." However, sources revealed that the members of the club were crying foul over why the various facilities at the club had been taken over when the BMC had not yet finalised increasing the bed capacity.

Of the city's total bed capacity for Covid-19 patients, 49 per cent is currently available for use. There are over 22,000 beds at various hospitals, of which 10,000 are vacant. The BMC is, however, yet to increase the capacity of ICUs substantially as out of the 2,995 ICU beds in the city, almost 90 per cent is occupied and just 285 beds are vacant. According to the civic body, 73 ventilator beds are available.

10,000
No. of Covid-19 beds currently available in the city

285
No. of ICU Covid-19 beds available in the city

150
No. of beds occupied at NSCI