High Mortality Rate: BMC bars small nursing homes, hospitals from admitting COVID-19 patients

The Mumbai Mirror stated that previously, at a meeting between Mr. Chachal and COVID task force members on July 24th, they found out that most of the deaths due to COVID occurred in either small health facilities or after being referred from the small health facilities. After having conversations with some of the big health facilities of the state Mr. Chchal found out that the majority of the patients coming to the government hospitals or big private hospitals are referred from small nursing homes when their condition has already declined significantly.  "A lot of them arrive in very serious condition. Once a Covid-19 patient becomes critical, one needs a multi-disciplinary approach to treat them. Without a proper ICU, it would be impossible to manage such a patient and that is why nursing Home transfer patients at this stage to bigger hospitals ", stated the zonal director of Fortis, Dr. S Narayani.

Hence the small hospitals have been instructed to treat their current patients and to refer them Jambo hospitals when necessary and not to admit COVID patients further. However, Additional municipal commissioner Suresh Kakani told TOI that  "The bigger nursing homes say 50 or 100-bed ones. would continue to provide COVID care." Many of the doctors have been informed about the BMC's decision via text message on Wednesday. They have been informed that "As per Hon MC's (municipal commissioner's) order all acquired private hospitals, nursing, or maternity homes are removed from the COVID dashboard. Therefore, henceforth not required to update the dashboard."