NMMC call centre gets over 60% calls for ICU beds and ventilators

Despite the administration of Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) ramped up ICU beds and ventilators, the demand for the same is not coming down. The call centre set up by the civic body to help severe patients in getting beds at the earliest receives the maximum call for ICU and ventilators.

Abhijit Bangar, the municipal commissioner said that that 32 percent of total calls received by the call centre demand ICU beds. Similarly, around 30 percent demand for ventilators and just 8 to 9 percent for oxygen beds. The call centre receives around 230 to 250 calls every day.

The civic body has around 1000 oxygen beds that are unoccupied while the demand for ICU beds is intact. Bangar said that in such a scenario, increasing ICU beds will not be possible. He suggested citizens get tested immediately if they have symptoms similar to COVID 19 to prevent the worst situation. “Most of the ICU beds calls are from people who are isolated at home or underwent COVID tests very late,” said Bangar, adding that early detection help doctors to start the treatment early and prevent the situation from getting out of hand.

The civic body had earlier informed that around 80 percent of the mortality are seen among people above 50 years who prefer home isolation. “Proper COVID protocols are not followed during the home isolation and so we have changed the policy for it. Now, people with home isolations require to get a certificate from a doctor under whom he or she will be treated,” said Bangar.