Vashi Covid-19 centre gets 35 oxygen nurses

A nurse will be deployed in all seven wards of the Covid-19 facility at the CIDCO Exhibition centre. Representation pic

To optimise the use of oxygen, the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation has hired 35 oxygen nurses for its Vashi Covid-19 centre. The nurses have been trained to keep an eye on the oxygen supply to each and every patient and will make sure which patient needs how much oxygen. Officials said NMMC will try to save as much oxygen as possible through this move.

Patients on oxygen are currently supplied with the life-saving gas non-stop, irrespective of what they are doing. This leads to some wastage, said an official, stressing the need for monitoring the supply.

The nurse will be deployed in all seven wards of the Covid-19 facility at the CIDCO Exhibition centre. "These nurses will keep an eye on oxygen saturation of patients and will keep only those patients on oxygen supply who need it," said an NMMC official. "Secondly, many times patients on oxygen go to the washroom or have food. During these 5 to 10 minutes, the oxygen supply continues resulting in wastage," he added.

In case of non-stop flow, a patient eating or going to the washroom could lead to wastage of oxygen supply for 5-10 minutes, said offcials. Representation pic

The nurses will also keep records of shutting and restarting of oxygen supply throughout the day of every bed. "This might sound like a small thing, but will definitely save oxygen. Though we don't have scarcity of oxygen at any of our centres, saving oxygen will definitely help reduce the demand," said NMMC Commissioner Abhijit Bangar.

Also Read: Maharashtra govt approves Rs 1 crore advance to Railways for oxygen trains

The official said NMMC is almost ready with its own oxygen plant at the Vashi Covid-19 centre. "We are planning for two more," said Bangar.

Preparation for 3rd wave

Anticipating a third wave, the Navi Mumbai civic body has started planning for beds and other infrastructure. "During the first wave, the highest number of active cases were 3,688. In the second wave, it touched 11,605. We expect the active cases could go up to 25,000 during the third wave. Even if 50 per cent of the patients come to Covid-19 centres, we will need about 12,000 beds," said an NMMC official.

"In the second wave, there were challenges over ICU and ventilator beds. We are thinking of increasing ICU beds to 1,500 and oxygen beds from 3,000 to 5,000. As far as quarantine beds are concerned, it will be doubled from 4,000 to 8,000," he added.

Arrangement for children

Amid expert views that children might be impacted due to the third wave, officials said NMMC is planning to have special Covid-19 centres for kids at three locations. These facilities will have general beds, oxygen beds, ICU and pediatric ventilators. The civic body may also provide space for parents to stay with their infected children.

3,000
No. of oxygen beds at NMMC-run facilities