Dearth of beds for Covid-19 patients as Mumbai prepares for surge in cases

While the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) says it is prepared to tackle the expected rise in the number of Covid-19 cases in the city, data shows that despite

While the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) says it is prepared to tackle the expected rise in the number of Covid-19 cases in the city, data shows that despite BMC increasing the number of beds for critically-ill patients, only 3% of beds in intensive care units (ICUs) and with ventilators are vacant.

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In the past two weeks, BMC has increased the bed strength in hospitals. Till May 25, BMC had 644 ICU beds, which has increased to 1,102. The number of ventilators has increased from 359 to 459 in the same time period. However, available data shows that only nine beds in ICU are available for critically-ill patients in ICU and only 32 of the beds with ventilators are available for patients with severely low oxygen saturation.

In Mumbai, 4,650 beds with oxygen facility are available but only 26% are empty. Also, while BMC has increased the bed strength for suspected Covid-19 patients to 1,205 in 128 hospitals across the city, 77% of the beds are occupied.

BMC has maintained it is prepared to handle the spike in reported cases that is expected with the lockdown being relaxed. “The cases might increase with the relaxation but we are ready to handle it. We have increased the bed strength and will add more into it. Overall, we have over 25,000 beds including the Covid care centres (CCC),” said Suresh Kakani, additional municipal commissioner.

BMC has also increased the strength of CCC-2, where asymptomatic patients along with mildly symptomatic patients may be admitted. These are in makeshift grounds, lodges, schools, colleges among other structures. The total capacity in CCC-2 has been increased to 7,105 and 61% of the beds are occupied.

On June 2, Ravi Ram Ahuja, a 53-year-old resident of Shivajinagar, was rushed to a local nursing home in the afternoon, which refused to admit him as he didn’t have a certificate declaring he was Covid-negative. Suffering from fever, cold and diarrhoea — all symptoms of Covid-19 — he was referred to Lokmanya Tilak Municipal General Hospital, also known as Sion Hospital. After being made for two hours, Ahuja’s family was informed that the patient needed to be admitted to ICU. However, as no beds were available, the hospital couldn’t admit the patient.

“We called the helpline number of BMC (1916), but they gave us a waiting list of 26. But my father was already suffocating. We called nearby private hospitals, but no ICU beds were available,” said Sanjay Ahuja, his son. After waiting another hour, they took Ahuja to BYL Nair Hospital. At around 4pm, Nair Hospital admitted Ahuja and immediately shifted him to a ventilator.

“Next day, early morning, he was declared dead. His Covid [test] report came on June 4, a day after his death. He was Covid-positive,” said Ahuja, adding that BMC has refused to test his mother, who is diabetic, as she isn’t showing any symptoms.

HT has reported several stories of patients who have struggled to avail treatment for Covid-19.

Medical experts and officials expressed concern about BMC’s preparation and the healthcare infrastructure since the number of reported cases of Covid-19 in Mumbai continues to be more than 1,000 daily.

“In the two months of lockdown, we failed to increase the strength of the beds, ambulances and oxygen. The main motive of a national lockdown is to strengthen the infrastructure to fight against Covid-19. The whole nation is lagging behind,” said a senior health officer from the state government.

As HT reported on Saturday, the doubling rate of the infection has improved in several wards, but there are questions raised about whether enough tests are being conducted. BMC is currently at 65% of its official daily testing capacity of over 7,000 samples a day.

Borivli resident Surendra Shah, lost his father to Covid-19 on May 31. For the past five days, he has been trying to get his mother, who is diabetic, tested for Covid-19.

“Private labs won’t test without prescription and as my mother is asymptomatic, physicians aren’t prescribing swab tests. My mother is a high-risk contact, but there is no option to get tested. If anything happens to her, who will be responsible?” said Shah.

Leader of the Opposition in BMC, Ravi Raja said, “Under the Epidemic Diseases Act, all private hospitals come under the purview of the corporation. Despite this, BMC took two months to procure 80% of the beds from private hospitals. Now, they are still considering requesting private ambulances. Why so many delays when people are dying?”