BBMP drags its feet on inspecting Covid-19 hospitals over rule violations

The BBMP is way behind authorities in other districts in inspecting Covid care facilities as mandated by the apex court and the state expert committee.

And this is despite the fact that just 19 hospitals — eight government and 11 private ones — accounted for 80% of Covid-19 deaths in Bengaluru, as reflected in the BBMP’s own data submitted to the chief secretary.

Expert committees in other districts have inspected half a dozen government and private hospitals and submitted reports of non-compliance to the state expert committee as per guidelines of the Supreme Court.

The non-compliance was seen in delay in handling the bodies of Covid patients, not following Covid management protocols, a dearth of medical staff round the clock, absence of Remdesivir injections, absence of dormitories with toilets for staff and patient attendants, absence of a help desk or a CCTV, etc.

An 11-member BBMP expert committee formed on August 1 has not yet made any headway. The committee comprises a pulmonologist, two physicians and an intensivist apart from Palike officials, a WHO representative and NGOs. Dr Ravindra Mehta is one of the members.

A member of the expert committee said requesting anonymity: “We got to know about this committee only 10 days ago. A meeting was held and we are planning visits from this week. The BBMP is slow.

How can we go to hospitals without an official ID or intimation to the hospitals? We’re waiting for the checklist and logistics.”

BBMP Commissioner N Manjunatha Prasad and Dr BK Vijayendra, Chief Health Officer, Public Health, did not immediately answer questions from DH.

Dr Ravindra Mehta, Pulmonologist, Apollo Jayanagar, said: “We are still waiting for the BBMP to tell us where to go for inspections. We have a combination of clinicians and paramedics.

The idea is to form three teams and quickly cover as many hospitals as possible although Bengaluru is huge. The idea is to divide the hospitals into private, public and nursing homes but we haven’t been told which hospitals.”