Pvt hospitals may reduce Covid beds after Diwali
Of 4,192 reserved beds, 2,204 vacant, leading to losses, say private hospitals; experts warn against drastic changes
MUMBAI: With a steady decline in the daily Covid-19 caseload, more than 50% of the beds reserved for Covid-positive patients are lying vacant in private hospitals. Private hospitals are saying this is leading to huge financial losses and consequently, the number of reserved beds at these facilities may decrease after Diwali.
Soon after Covid-positive cases were reported in Mumbai, the state had instructed private hospitals to reserve a percentage of beds for Covid-19 patients.
At present, of the total 4,192 beds reserved for Covid patients in private hospitals in the city, 2,204 are lying vacant. There are 1,007 beds in intensive care units (ICUs), of which 422 are not occupied. Of the 477 beds with ventilators, 162 are free.
Dr V Ravishankar, chief executive officer (CEO), Lilavati Hospital, said, “The daily burden of Covid-19 cases has decreased drastically. At our CCC-2 (Covid Care Centre for mildly symptomatic patients), the number of patients has dropped from 80 to 16.”
Private hospitals want to decrease the number of beds reserved for Covid patients — which is currently 80% of their operational capacity — and the Indian Medical Association
(IMA) has backed this suggestion. “If Mumbai witnesses a second wave, the authority can always bring back the rules. It is better to re-implement it rather than keep empty beds reserved. Hospitals need to pay money from their pockets for the maintenance of the beds and the equipment,” said Dr Avinash Bhondwe, president of IMA, Maharashtra. “If the government wants to keep the beds reserved, they should pay the basic expenditure amount,” he added.
Hospitals are reportedly seeing a growing number of patients with non-Covid ailments.
“We have to keep our beds ready for them as well. So, we are planning that after Diwali, if Mumbai doesn’t witness a second wave, we might decrease the number of Covid-19 beds,” said Dr Gautam Bhansali, consultant general physician, Bombay Hospital and chief coordinator between all private hospitals and the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).
At present, the price cap issued by the state as well as the percentage of beds reserved for Covid treatment remain valid till November 30. “The next few months are critical due to the festivals. After Ganesh puja, we had witnessed a rise in the number of Covid-19 cases, so we can’t let our guards down during Diwali,” said a senior health officer.
Activists have also cautioned against any drastic changes. “In the initial months of the pandemic, there were severe shortages of beds. Patients have died while waiting for beds. So, it is advisable to wait when we are expecting rise in cases after Diwali,” said Jitendra Tandel from Rugna Kalyan Seva Samajik Sanstha.