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PMC prepared for the worst: Shekhar Gaikwad, municipal commissioner
The city’s discharge rate has also increased. Even the death rate which was around 9 per cent earlier it has come down to four per cent, says civic chief
According to a projection by the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) Smart City Covid-19 war room, Pune will record at least 40,906 progressive Covid-19 cases and 18,408 active cases by July 31. The projection also highlights that PMC will likely witness a shortage of 282 intensive care unit (ICU) beds and 172 ventilators by July 31 for critically-ill Covid-19 patients. Shekhar Gaikwad, Pune municipal commissioner, talks to HT about the preparedness to deal with the situation.
A projection by Pune Smart city war room says there will be shortage ICU and ventilators in July. How will PMC handle the situation?
PMC is well-prepared to handle the worst. Following in the footsteps of Delhi and Mumbai, we are planning in advance. Right now, we have 580 ICU beds out of which 283 are occupied. Total beds with a ventilator are 288 and 63 are occupied. So, considering the growth rate, we are adding the facility step by step. Right now PMC had reserved the 80 per cent beds only in 12 hospitals in the city. If needed, we will reserve more seats in other hospitals. At least 1,000 beds are also ready at the Balewadi sports complex where we have made provision for portable oxygen facility. The price of portable oxygen is very normal and we can provide it in enough numbers as per requirement.
Considering the growth rate of Covid-19 positive cases, do we have enough infrastructure?
The city’s discharge rate has also increased. As of June 26, 8,633 people have been cured of the virus and discharged from various city hospitals. Even the death rate which was around 9 per cent earlier it has come down to four per cent. According to data as of June 25, PMC had 18,556 beds out of which 5,325 are occupied. Even at the back end, we have identified the infrastructure. For example, at Balewadi sports complex we can increase more beds with oxygen support. Pune’s plus point is that we have a large number of educational institutes which have hostel facilities. Each educational premise has more than 1,000-bed capacity which can be turned into hospitals.
What about the medial and paramedical staff?
I have already recruited the nurses and doctors on a temporary basis and given them a 45-day appointment. The administration will take approval from the elected members for this recruitment. Pune also has enough private and government hospitals.
Recently NCP leader Sharad Pawar and other elected members raised concern over private hospitals charging high fees. Is the administration in talks with the hospitals?
There were incidents where citizens were charged extra by private hospitals. PMC, district collector and divisional commissioner are working to resolve the issue and a committee has been formed at district collector level. Even our health department is looking into such complaints. Now the private hospital bills are sent to PMC for reimbursement as under various schemes, the government will bear this cost. There are some complaints that despite negative reports, hospitals are not discharging patients. But it is found that some people due to panic are rushing to private hospitals. Once the patient is admitted, the hospitals are following the Covid-19 protocol and not discharging the patients.
How is PMC dealing with the financial burden?
We had demanded Rs32 crore from the state, but we have got only Rs2 crore till now. We have spent Rs135 crore till now. We are providing food to at least 5,000 patients admitted at various Covid-19 care centres two times a day. There are additional charges of washing bedsheets and clothes which the civic body is paying for. We have requested the state to give us our Goods and Service Tax component on an urgent basis and some financial help.
How is the municipal corporation going to manage its budget given the expenditure on Covid-19 management?
We have already formed the finance committee, which I head and other members include the account officer and city engineer. We are calling each department head with the proposed works. We have given instruction to them to undertake only urgent work and postpone the rest. It will help us get control over spending and manage the budget.
