Don’t admit COVID-19 patients without informing Ward War Rooms: BMC chief

Observing that despite previous orders, patients are being admitted directly by hospitals without informing the ward rooms set up by the civic body, Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) chief IS Chahal on Monday issued an order directing all government, municipal, private hospitals and nursing homes having Covid-19 facilities to ensure that no admission shall be done directly without intimation to the respective Ward War Room.

“Whereas, in view of increasing number of Covid-19 positive patients and a very high level of occupancy of ICU beds in Municipal hospitals, the support of private hospitals has become imperative in the larger public interest, especially to cater to the requirement of critical Covid-19 patients,” Chahal has stated in the order.

He directed, “All the private hospitals having Covid-19 treatment facilities shall admit the patients having moderate to severe symptoms with reference from the Ward War Room.”

The civic chief added, “It is observed that, in spite of above orders, patients are still admitted directly by the hospitals without information / intimation to Ward War Rooms.

I hereby direct all Government, Municipal, Private hospitals and Nursing Homes having Covid-19 facilities, to ensure that no admission shall be done directly without intimation to the respective Ward War Room.”

Chahal has also directed that all beds in the 80% category, for which fees for Covid19 treatment are capped by the government, shall be allotted by the concerned Ward War Room only.

“In certain exceptional circumstances due to medical emergencies, all the concerned Covid-19 hospitals shall admit symptomatic covid patients when referred by Shri Mahesh Narvekar, Director, Disaster Management or Dr Gautam Bhansali, Chief Coordinator for private hospitals. Further, a Nodal Officer for every hospital shall be appointed for coordination who shall be available 24x7,” Chahal’s order states.