Action to be taken against closed clinics and hospitals

MUMBAI: The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has directed civic officials to acquire at least 100 beds, including 10 in ICUs, of private nursing homes and small hospitals in all 24 wards of Mumbai in the wake of the rising number of COVID-19 cases in the city. The civic chief has even directed the Assistant Municipal commissioners and health officers to register a police complaint against private hospitals and clinics remained shut even after BMC's warnings.

The civic body is aiming to make at least 2,400 more beds available for covid-19 positive or suspected patients in the city, following the decision on Wednesday evening to acquire at least one private hospital in each of the 24 wards.

In the wake of the rising number of cases across all wards, BMC Commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal directed all Assistant Municipal Commissioners and health officers of all wards to complete the process of acquiring beds in private nursing homes and hospitals soon.

"He also directed all ward officers to file police complaints against private nursing homes, polyclinics and hospitals which have not reopened despite repeated requests and warnings from the civic body." said a senior BMC official told the Free Press Journal. "He has directed ward officers to provide personal protective equipment (PPE) kits to private nursing homes and hospitals and take stringent actions against those who refuse to start operating and assisting BMC in its fight against the pandemic," the official added.

Nearly 1,000 health surveillance teams are daily surveying six to seven lakh people and suspected coronavirus patients are being referred to COVID Care Centres. The civic body also said that 58,14,340 houses were surveyed and 7,447 suspected cases were referred till date.