Mumbai civic body on Mission Zero for 6 wards in city’s suburbs to curb Covid-19 cases

Civic chief IS Chahal on Monday launched ‘Mission Zero’, as part of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s (BMC) rapid action plan to curb rising Covid-19 cases

Civic chief IS Chahal on Monday launched ‘Mission Zero’, as part of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s (BMC) rapid action plan to curb rising Covid-19 cases in the suburbs. He also inaugurated 50 ambulances given to BMC as part of a public-private partnership.

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Mission Zero is a 35-day action plan to increase surveillance in six suburban wards corresponding to areas of Mulund, Bhandup, Dahisar, Borivli, Kandivli, Malad and Dindoshi. It aims to reduce the growth rate of Covid-19 cases in these areas to around 1%- 1.7%, from the current 3%-3.7%.

With the onset of the monsoon, BMC anticipates the number of cases will go up. “Corona cases are likely to rise in the monsoon. We are anticipating that and are prepared to handle it in terms of our bed capacity,” Chahal said.

On the other hand, Chahal also said a large number of cases will be brought under control by July-end, through the rapid action plan.

Speaking at the inauguration of the ambulances given by a collaboration of Bharatiya Jain Sanghatana, CREDAI-MCHI, and Desh Apanayen, Chahal said, “Over 60% of Mumbai’s cases come from these six-seven wards. The remaining 40% cases come from the other 18 wards. It will not be beneficial for us in the long run if we do not curb the rise in these areas. Cases from these suburbs will eventually travel to south Mumbai.”

Chahal said BMC has instructions from chief minister Uddhav Thackeray to pay more attention to these areas. He attributed the rise to Thane’s proximity to Bhandup and Mulund, and Mira Bhayander’s proximity to Dahisar and Borivli, especially since easing of restrictions has increased contact and travel.

The ambulances will be operated in the suburbs by three organisations – Bharatiya Jain Sanghatana, CREDAI-MCHI and Desh Apanayen. They will act as mobile dispensaries, carrying out door-to-door screening of all residents in the suburbs for early detection of cases, and their separation from the community.

Each ambulance will have a doctor and a laboratory technician. Screening will be done with an oximeter and a thermal gun. Swabs of any suspected patient will be taken immediately, and will be reported to BMC. At least 30,000 to 40,000 patients will be screened every week.

“For every positive patient, we will trace up to 20 contacts. In the rest of Mumbai’s hotspots, contact tracing has been in the ratio of 1:15,” Chahal said.

Bharatiya Jain Sanghatana is a Pune based non-government organisation working in the area of natural disaster response. It is headed by Shantilal Muttha. In Pune, and in rural Maharashtra, mobile dispensaries were started on April 1, and have so far screened 14 lakh citizens in 288 dispensaries. Eighteen mobile dispensaries are specially deployed for Dharavi alone.

Chahal said, “Mr Muttha has promised to reduce growth rate in suburbs exactly like Dharavi and in other hotspots, and bring it to around 1.7% to 1.8%. If we contain the virus in these six to seven wards, then I think the battle is won. And our target is by June 30, it should be contained. We will have to be vigilant for four to six months for life to come back to normal.”