500 new oxygen beds & ventilators to be made available for every ward, says Mumbai Mayor

Mumbai Mayor Kishori Pednekar, on Friday, stated that the city's civic body Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) will be providing 500 ventilators and oxygen beds in every ward across the city. She reiterated that even though the hospitals are 'burdened', the city's administration has been fighting hard to control the outbreak of the virus. 

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'Focusing to provide better healthcare facilities'

Speaking to ANI, Pednekar said, "Even before COVID-19, our hospitals were burdened and with the arrival of monsoon, we are focusing to provide better healthcare facilities, especially in Mumbai. However, we will be giving more than 500 ventilators and oxygen beds in every ward."

Speaking about the utility of the existing facilities available for patients, she said, "There is a communication gap between doctors and the people as only a limited number of people can connect with these doctors via a telephonic helpline. Whenever the doubling rate decreases in the state, it becomes a matter of concern for us."

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Mumbai—worst-affected COVID-19 city

Mumbai is the worst affected city in the country with a total of 55,357 COVID-19 cases and 2,042 deaths due to the virus. Maharashtra has reported a total of 97648 cases with 3590 deaths due to the virus. 

Special attention is being given to the patients on dialysis and the ones undergoing cancer treatment. The BMC stated that a special facility for COVID-19 positive cancer patients was created in NSCI Dome. Innovative technological interventions such as contactless screening and digital X-rays with AI have been used at this COVID facility. Most of the cancer patients admitted here are above 50 years of age. As on Friday, the NSCI Dome has seen 178 admissions out of which 126 patients have been discharged and no casualties have been reported. According to the BMC, this was a successful model of care for COVID-19 positive cancer patients in the country. 

READ: Dashboard Giving Info About Crematorium Status In Mumbai To Be Ready By June-end: BMC

Earlier in the day, the BMC announced that a dashboard giving information about the status of the crematoriums in Mumbai shall be ready by month-end. This assumes significance as there have been complaints about people being forced to wait for more than 8 hours to perform the last rites at the crematoriums amid the novel coronavirus crisis. In a statement, the BMC stated that there was a proposal to link the dashboard to the '1916' helpline number. 

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(Image credits: ANI)