Safety, hygiene concerns at COVID-19 centre in Ghatkopar

Patients recovering from virus, newly infected share rooms and bathing facilities, says inmate

A 28-year-old man quarantined at a COVID-19 Care Centre (CCC) in Ghatkopar has raised concerns over shared facilities for patients recovering from the virus and those newly infected.

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has set up two types of CCCs in the city. CCC-1, typically hotels or lodges with separate rooms, are for high-risk contacts and those awaiting test results, while CCC-2, set up in open spaces, are for asymptomatic patients and those with mild symptoms.

12 patients in one room

According to the BMC, there is no harm in keeping patients together at CCC-2 as all of them have tested positive for COVID-19.

The resident of Ghatkopar, who works at a financial firm, said 10 to 12 patients share one room and bathing facilities at the CCC-2 at Vidya Bhavan Junior College.

He said, “I have been here for five days and new patients keep coming in. We are all in the same area. This puts recovering patients at risk.” He said recently a patient entered into an argument with medical workers at the centre who asked him to get discharged even though he had not yet tested negative for COVID-19.

Mahendra Khandare, medical officer of health, N ward, said patients move around the centre despite efforts of medical staff to segregate them. He said, “We will put in more efforts to restrict such movement.”

Strict discharge policy

Mr. Khandare said the BMC is strictly following the discharge policy of the Indian Council of Medical Research and the State government. He said, “The testing load in the city is high and we don’t have enough beds. We are trying to prioritise beds for severe cases.”