Among the growing number of COVID patients opting to be treated at home, those who need dialysis too have had limited avenues amid the pandemic. Addressing this need, jumbo centres in BKC and Goregaon set up dialysis units on an out-patient basis earlier this month for COVID patients needing the treatment.

The MMRDA COVID centre at BKC has 18 dialysis machines, of which six are earmarked for critical patients and the NESCO centre in Goregaon has 10 machines. The aim is to reduce the transfer of admitted COVID patients at the centre to other hospitals. "Earlier, patients who had severe symptoms or needed dialysis had to be transferred to other hospitals. We have arranged for a dialysis unit and for high-end ventilators to treat serious patients as well. So far, four patients have undergone dialysis," said Dr Neelam Andrade, who heads the NESCO centre. She added that each machine is used for a four-hour session and can handle up to 30 patients every day.