BMC to shut 3 jumbo Covid centres, keep 6 on standby

Medicines, equipment to be shifted for use at 16 civic hospitals

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has decided to close down three of its jumbo Covid centres while keeping six on standby, as the possibility of a fourth wave is not ruled out yet. The civic body will be shutting down the Goregaon (Nesco), Kanjurmarg and Dahisar Check Naka centres. The medicines and equipment from these will be utilised at the BMC's 16 upgraded hospitals.

The state government, the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) and the BMC together built the jumbo Covid centres across the city to cope with the shortage of beds when Covid infections were at their peak in March 2020. These centres have successfully handled all three waves of the pandemic so far.

Currently, there are only 43 Covid patients admitted to hospital, with hardly any patients at the jumbo centres.

However, the IIT Kanpur has predicted a fourth wave in July, which may peak in September. It will be milder than the third wave and won’t have any impact on the public health system or necessitate lockdowns, expects the BMC administration.

As a precautionary measure, the BMC will keep six jumbo centres on standby mode. “We have already prepared an inventory of medicines and equipment present at the jumbo centres. The jumbo centres have more than 15,000 beds, ICU Beds, ventilators, oxygenated beds, medicines, etc. After the center is closed this equipment will be kept at the SevenHills Hospital at Marol,” additional municipal commissioner Dr Sanjeev Kumar said, adding that the equipment will be utilised at 16 BMC hospitals after their upgradation.