Pune Municipal Corporation to put swab collection centres at ward level

Pune: The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has now geared up to reduce the fatality rate of COVID-19 patients in the city. With the help of private labs and doctors, the PMC will provide immediate assistance for COVID tests and further treatment at the ward level for the suspected patients. PMC will also ensure, that there is no delay in making ambulance, tests and treatment services available to the patients.

As a part of these measures, Mayor Murlidhar Mohol announced on Wednesday, that Swab Collection Centres will be started in every PMC ward. This implies that the testing centres will be available at ward office levels. Presently, about three thousand swabs are being collected and sent for testing daily in the city.

Pune city has recorded more than 550 deaths due to COVID-19 and it has considerably increased since the last few days, especially after the relaxations in lockdown were given and implemented. The patients who have succumbed to this highly contagious disease include youth of 21 years to senior citizens. The fatality count also includes a large number of patients with comorbidity, that is with other diseases and ailments.

Mohol said, "PMC will now proactively collect information from doctors who have treated patients with heart ailments, high blood pressure, diabetes, etc. Also, PMC will get in touch with the management of pathology labs where COVID-19 tests are permitted and collect information about all patients undergoing the tests. For this purpose, an independent officer will be appointed for data collection from each lab."

The PMC while combating the menace of coronavirus, has now expedited the construction of a Medical College, at the Dr. Naidu Hospital on Raja Bahadur Mill Road near Pune Railway station. Mayor Murlidhar Mohol visited the site and took a review of the situation regarding how much land will be needed for the construction of the college. Many officials like; City Engineer Prashant Waghmare, Property Management Department Head Rajendra Muthe, Anti-Encroachment Department Head Madhav Jagtap, Assistant Head of Health Department Anjali Sabane and Deputy Commissioner Vijay Dahibhate accompanied Mayor Mohol during his visit.