Single command centre in MMR to manage beds

MMR reports 2,447 new cases on Wednesday, taking its tally ahead of Mumbai

MUMBAI:THE state government is planning to set up a single command centre in either Thane or Navi Mumbai to help resolve the problem of bed availability in the Mumbai metropolitan region (MMR). With patients from neighbouring cities coming to Mumbai for treatment, the city’s health infrastructure is overburdened, said state health minister Rajesh Tope on Wednesday.

There has been a surge of Covid-19 cases in MMR, forcing many municipal corporations in the region to re-impose the lockdown in July. On Wednesday, MMR reported 2,447 new cases while Mumbai had 1,310 new cases. The cities other than Mumbai in MMR have so far reported 105,300 cases of Covid-19.

“We have a single command centre in Mumbai for testing and bed management. The dashboard developed gives real-time data on the availability of beds across the city and helps the administration in their management. At present, no one gets a bed for Covid-19 treatment directly. He or she has to call the helpline or ward level war room. In case of MMR, I found beds at field hospitals in Thane city are empty while other cities are facing shortages of beds,” Tope said.

The issue has also been discussed with Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray and Thane guardian minister Eknath Shinde, both of whom support the idea of a single command centre. The command centre is likely to come up either in Thane or Navi Mumbai, with the help of Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA).

“Because of non-availability of beds, people from Thane and other areas are coming to Mumbai

for treatment and burdening the city’s health infrastructure. The command centre will resolve that problem,” Tope said.

The state health minister further clarified that restrictions would continue to be relaxed gradually.

“We have started the process of unlocking the state and there is no chance of again imposing lockdown. We have allowed functioning of private and government offices, hotels and restaurants. I am aware that health-conscious

citizens and those working at gyms are facing difficulties. We will resolve their problem very soon and bring a standard operating procedure (SOP) to ensure distancing is followed,” said Tope.

Meanwhile, in a meeting held on Tuesday, chief minister asked experts of homoeopathy, Ayurveda and unani medicine to submit a treatment protocol for Covid-19. “It’s time for Ayurveda and unani medicines to prove their significance,” Thackeray said.