With drop in cases, Pune administration plans to give up requisition of pvt hospital beds

We will ensure that we have enough beds for at least 8,000 patients as per the guidelines given by the Centre, for all the categories, including home isolation and even for critical patients, says divisional commissioner Saurabh Rao

Six months after the state issued an order to take control of about 80% of beds in private hospitals for Covid-19 treatment, the Pune administration has decided to give up the requisition given that the number of cases has been going down. The administration after a meeting with private hospitals has decided to give them the choice to step down voluntarily only on the pre-condition that beds could be taken over again if the situation demands.

With cases going down, PMC has shut down 18 Covid care centres out of the 23 which were started initially and only five are operational now. (HT PHOTO)

During a press meet on Tuesday, divisional commissioner Saurabh Rao said, “We have asked private hospitals to come up with a plan wherein we can give up the requisition in phases as per the criteria. The hospitals will send a plan by tomorrow and we will see whatever is possible. We will ensure that we have enough beds for at least 8,000 patients as per the guidelines given by the Centre, for all the categories, including home isolation and even for critical patients.

“ We have enough beds for 8,000 patients if we put together both the jumbo facilities, Naidu and 25% of both Yashwantrao Chavan Memorial (YCM) and Sassoon General hospitals. However, we will need a backup of ventilators and ICU beds for which we will consult with private hospitals,” he said.

He said that as of now no ratio has been decided on reserving beds and that hospitals have been given the option of “step-down” programme in a phasewise manner.

However, in some cases, hospitals will be allowed to be absolved of the requisition completely in case of super specialities dedicated to one speciality like heart, orthopaedics and ophthalmology, and hospitals with less than 40 beds will be allowed to not accept any new admission. These hospitals will be de-notified with the pre-condition that if required the administration will take over the required beds.

With cases going down, PMC has shut down 18 Covid care centres out of the 23 which were started initially and only five are operational now. PCMC has only one CCC running. Rao said that they are closed temporarily and could be started on 72-hour notice.

Criteria to give up requisition of beds

Non-oxygenated beds at private hospitals. Around 1,800 beds will be released.

The price regulation on requisitioned beds for the treatment of Covid will continue if any of the beds are retained.

The administration hopes to retain the required number of ventilators and ICUs as a backup plan in some private hospitals

These beds can be taken over again if the positivity rate, which is currently around 8.9% for the district, goes above 20%.

Sassoon staff and jumbo facility contract extended

Although the number of Covid cases is coming down steadily, as preparation for a possible second wave of the infection the administration has decided to extend the contract for doctors and medical staff hired in June and whose six-month contract will end on November 15 by another six months. Divisional commissioner Saurabh Rao said, “We have extended the contract of the staff because if we do see a second wave like what is being reported in western countries then we do not want to go hunting for staff at the last minute. Also, in case of the jumbo facility too we have decided to keep it running till February 2021 for now after consulting the operator, but we will bring down the number of beds from current 600 to 400 for both the jumbo facilities, COEP and Magar ground facility to avoid unnecessary costs.”