The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has appealed to corporates and individuals to donate personal protective equipment (PPE) to meet the needs of its municipal hospitals. The BMC also requires more oxygen cylinders for the isolation centres it is setting up.
Vishwas Mote, assistant municipal commissioner, said, “We want PPE, Azithromycin 500mg, food packets, and ventilators. Donors can get in touch with me at Andheri Sports Complex.”
According to BMC data, its municipal hospital stores have 50 oxygen cylinders, while the requirement is 555; only 3,742 PPEs against the requirement of 35,000; and just 65,293 N95 masks though the need is 1,15,800. There is sufficient stock of Gamex gloves, Nitrile gloves, 3-ply masks, ventilators and hand sanitisers, but due to lack of coordination between hospital management and contractors, it has not yet reached the stores.
Civic hospitals place orders with the BMC’s central purchase department (CPD) and the contractor makes the delivery. Despite complaints of shortage of N95 masks and gloves, the department said as on March 27, it has enough stock. However, there is stock of only 35,000 PPEs and no surplus.
A senior CPD official said, “There is no shortage at all, but we are hoping to receive more PPEs soon through Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives. In some cases, since trucks are stranded on the State’s borders, contractors have not been able to make deliveries. We have intervened and ensured their release.”
Deputy municipal commissioner (health) Ramesh Pawar denied reports of shortage of masks. He said, “It is not so. Today, we held a meeting with all medical superintendents and deans, and have given them a free hand. Vendors and systems are in place. They can place orders and take whatever they need. CSR is just a bonus and we depend on it only for 10% requirement.”
On hospitals not yet receiving supplies, Mr. Pawar said, “It is the job of the medical superintendent to make purchases and ours to make them available. They will not face any shortage. The major hospitals don’t have a single COVID-19 patient. All are at peripheral hospitals, but the supply is going to major hospitals.”
Suresh Kakani, additional municipal commissioner (health), said, “In Kasturba Hospital, we have 1,500 PPEs, sufficient N95 masks, and 17 jumbo oxygen cylinders. We have placed orders for 555 cylinders and so far 50 have been delivered. They will be used for peripheral hospitals, where we are setting up 1,030 isolation beds. Those will be delivered by March 30.”
‘Adequate supply’
On the lack of co-ordination, Mr. Kakani said, “We have assigned CPD staff in major hospitals to issue orders, obtain signatures, ensure supply and payment. Only those treating patients should wear PPE, but when doctors are working in three shifts, we are providing 100 PPE daily. Kasturba Hospital has 1,500 PPE. We have adequate supply and hospitals should use them judiciously. Shortfall is there because there is a strain on manufacturers, but we have planned up to April 30.”
In a letter to Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Tuesday, the Maharashtra Association of Resident Doctors (MARD) had highlighted the risk medical students are facing due to lack of PPE. MARD said five medical students, who worked at the international airport, SevenHills and Kasturba hospitals, were quarantined for having COVID-19 symptoms.
Dr. Shariva Randive of MARD said, “The letter made a difference. There are enough masks and PPE now. We are now working with the government.”
