BMC should appoint officers to monitor private hospitals: CM Uddhav Thackeray at Cabinet meeting

Sources added that the ministers also suggested that the government should acquire private ambulances so that they are available immediately for those in need.

Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Tuesday said that private hospitals must strictly comply with the government decision of reserving 80 per cent of their beds for patients suffering from both Covid-19 and other ailments.

“The BMC should appoint officers to monitor it and to ensure that patients do not suffer,” said Uddhav, during a discussion in the state Cabinet on the measures taken to tackle the spread of Covid-19, sources said.

Sources added that the ministers also suggested that the government should acquire private ambulances so that they are available immediately for those in need. “The ministers further said that the government must follow-up with the Union government to resume Mumbai’s suburban local trains to make the commute easier for employees involved in essential services,” said an official.

The Cabinet, meanwhile, gave post facto approval to the decision to offer free treatment to all Covid-19 patients in private hospitals under the Mahatma Phule Jan Aarogya Yojana. “At present, 85 per cent people are covered under the scheme. Now, the remaining 15 per cent will be covered under the scheme. District health officials will be responsible for monitoring the supply of PPE kits and N95 masks to the private hospitals,” an official said.

The Cabinet also approved the appointment of administrators for gram panchayats that have either completed their five-year tenure or are likely to do so in the coming months. Sources said since it is difficult to hold elections under the circumstances, the government has decided to appoint administrators for over 12,000 gram panchayats.