08 January,2022 07:15 AM IST | Mumbai | Somita Pal
The jumbo Covid-19 centre at Kanjurmarg East. File pic
While the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) report shows a significant number of beds are available for COVID-19 patients in the city, private hospitals are running at full capacity and have a waiting period for admissions. The private institutions are also facing manpower shortage, and are having to divert their non-COVID force for the care of Coronavirus patients.
The civic body has given the private hospitals a deadline of January 10 to restore their bed capacity to what it was on May 5, 2021, during the second wave. They have also been told to discharge asymptomatic patients within three days. More than 15,000 beds are available at the nine jumbo COVID care centres and the BMC's SevenHills Hospital, but most patients are reluctant to be admitted to civic-run facilities, said civic officials. As more than 90 per cent of the positive cases are from non-slum areas, patients' first preference is a private hospital, said health officials.
Joy Chakraborty, the chief operating officer, PD Hinduja Hospital, said, "We are seeing a huge demand for beds, and are trying to meet the commitment we have made, but there are challenges. One of them is that the demand is more than the resources we have right now. We are not in a position to meet everyone's demand for beds right now." He added that they are trying to keep the waiting period to less than 24 hours.
"Non-COVID work is coming down and we are diverting our resources for Coronavirus patients," he said.
With rising number of healthcare workers contracting the virus, private hospitals, just like public hospitals, are also facing a challenge of meeting the manpower demand amid an increase in hospitalisation. According to most of the private hospitals, they have reduced their non-COVID work and diverted their staff and doctors for COVID care.
Dr Prince Surana, CEO of Surana Sethia Hospital, said though the criticality of the admitted COVID-19 patients is low, demands for bed have drastically gone up. "On December 22, we had just five COVID-19 patients at our Mumbai centre. Today, we have about 55 patients," he said, adding that they are currently managing the demand for beds with early discharge.
"The patients are having mild symptoms. Vitals are in control and we are able to discharge them on time," Dr Surana said. According to the BMC, more than 80 per cent of the patients at present are asymptomatic even if the test positivity rate is at 29.9 per cent.
Dr Sujit Chatterjee, CEO, Dr LH Hiranandani Hospital, said they are not admitting asymptomatic patients. "Cases have surged, but, as the hospital had prepared in advance, we are able to cope. So far patients are getting admitted with a variety of severity. The general discharge time from the ward is five days. Those with a little severe disease are staying for eight days or so," he said.
Jitendra Haryan, CEO, Jaslok Hospital and Research Centre, said the hospital stay this time around is short when compared to the second wave. "We have a separate wing called âJaslok Annex' with four designated floors for COVID-19 patients. Looking at the current situation, we have also allocated additional wards for COVID-19. "If the patient needs admission due to symptoms, age, comorbidities, etc., we admit them and offer counselling as well. Patients with mild symptoms are opting for home isolation packages," he added.
However, the BMC's new circular may streamline the present surge demand for beds at private hospitals. A civic health official said, "Private hospitals cannot take direct admissions without intimating ward war rooms. No bed will be allotted to asymptomatic patients who have no comorbidities. A nodal officer has to be appointed for every hospital for coordination."
