BMC is reconsidering its decision to demolish Covid jumbo centres

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is expected to reconsider its decision to demolish improvised mega centres in Dahisar, Goregaon, Malad, Sion, and Kanjurmarg. This follows the publication of a paper by experts from the Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur (IIT-K) suggesting that the fourth wave of coronavirus will arrive in June. The city body had previously chosen to keep only three giant covid centres: Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC), Byculla (Richardson and Cruddas), and Worli (NSCI), as well as the Seven Hills hospital in Marol, and to demolish the others. Officials from the city said they will meet with TaskForce members to decide whether to decommission the covid jumbo centres or maintain them on standby.

 

According to a mathematical modelling study conducted by experts at IIT Kanpur, the fourth wave of the Covid-19 epidemic in India is expected to begin around June 22 and peak between mid-and late-August. To make the forecast, the researchers employed a statistical model. However, the severity of the instances would be determined by the type of variation and the state of Covid immunization in India.

 

Suresh Kakani, an Additional Municipal Commissioner, stated that many predictions and mathematical calculations have been made in the past and that they are prepared for everything. For the time being, decisions on jumbo covid centres have been put on hold, and all Covid Care Centres (CCC1) will close due to a lack of patients.

 

"Because the number of cases has decreased dramatically and we are approaching endemic status, a decision was made to keep three gigantic covid centres open while closing others." However, following the IIT-Kanpur report, our experts and taskforce members have reconsidered closing the jumbo covid centres. We're in talks with members of the Covid-19 taskforce, who will advise or decide whether to keep all of the jumbo covid centres open or close part of them," he said. "In the meanwhile, we're prepared to deal with another wave of Covid-19." Furthermore, the 10th genome sequencing report, which reveals Omicron's dominance in the city, will be released in the next two days," Kakani noted.

 

Meanwhile, less than ten patients have been admitted to jumbo covid centres in the last week, and Seven Hills Hospital had no admissions on March 2. "We had started demolishing the centres, but we were told to put it on hold." "All patients in Dahisar jumbo covid clinics have been discharged, and there are very few asymptomatic cases in the out-patient department," a doctor stated.

 

There is no need to fear, according to a Senior Health Officer with the state's Covid-19 task team, because many predictions and mathematical studies have been made, none of which is right. The only factor that helped control covid cases were all of the agencies' efforts and adherence to covid-19 behaviour. However, the survey was conducted at a period when the number of cases had significantly decreased and the state government had provided significant relief, allowing a decision on the closure of jumbo covid centres to be postponed.