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Maharashtra forms 9-member task force of doctors to tackle coronavirus deaths
As the coronavirus mortality rate of the state is double than that of the rest of the country, the Maharashtra government on Monday formed a nine-member task force
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As the coronavirus mortality rate of the state is double than that of the rest of the country, the Maharashtra government on Monday formed a nine-member task force of specialist doctors from government and private hospitals to suggest measures to minimise the death rate and for the clinical management of the Covid-19 patients who are critically ill. The task force has been asked to submit its recommendations on urgent basis to chief minister Uddhav Thackeray. Through a hotline, these doctors will also provide their inputs to the other doctors treating Covid-19 patients across the state.
The task force is headed by Dr Sanjay Oak, while Dr Praveen Bangar from KEM Hospital has been appointed as the task force’s convenor. The task force has been formed following directives issued by the chief minister Uddhav Thackeray. Thackeray also spoke to these doctors through video conferencing on Monday.
“It has been noticed that a large number of people have been detected in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation area and that the death rate of patients in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region is higher than the state and national average. Hence, it has been decided to constitute a task force of specialist doctors to suggest measures to minimise death rate and clinical management of Covid-19 patients that are critically ill,” an order issued by chief secretary Ajoy Mehta stated.
The order states measures such as recommending suitable drug protocol to maintain uniformity in treating critically-ill Covid-19 patients, establishing patients’ management protocol for serious and critically ill Covid-19 patients, recommending the requirement of specialist doctors and health care support staff in the hospitals dedicated for the epidemic treatment, recommending criteria and logistics requirement to transfer critical patients from different hospitals in Mumbai to the intensive care units of short-listed hospitals. “The head of the task force can decide about giving other important recommendations,” the order read.
The death toll of the state reached 160 after 11 deaths recorded on Monday. Maximum deaths are recorded in Mumbai 110.
Until Sunday, the state’s mortality rate was 7.41%, with 149 deaths and 1,982 positive cases as against the 3.35% of the rest of the country (307 deaths). Currently, Jharkhand has the highest mortality rate (10.53%), with two deaths among the total 19 case.
The other members of the task force are Dr Zahir Udwadia from PD Hinduja Hospital; Dr Santoshi Nagvekar from Lilavati Hospital; Dr Kedar Toraskar from Wockhardt Hospital; Dr Rahul Pandit from Fortis Hospital; Dr Nitin Karnik from Lokmanya Tilak Hospital; Dr Zahir Virani from Prince Aly Khan Hospital and Dr Om Srivastava from Kasturba and Jaslok Hospitals.
