Mumbai’s first COVID wave which started in March 2020, started to wane in September 2020 and by the end of December it was as good as over. However, Team Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM) was certain about the second wave hitting Mumbai after a couple of months. This was based on the experience of Europe and USA. It was decided in the first week of September 2020 itself to launch ‘MY FAMILY MY RESPONSIBILITY’ campaign in Mumbai from 15th September to 15th December 2020. The campaign began on 15th September 2020. Under this campaign, thousands of MCGM health workers paid visit twice to 99.1% of 35.1 lakh families residing in Mumbai. These health teams carried printed pamphlets to every home sharing with them the Dos and Don’ts of COVID while moving in public domain and also shared with them the telephone numbers of Ward War Rooms of all 24 Wards of Mumbai. Temperature and oxygen level of family members were taken during home visits and co-morbid citizens were moved to hospitals in thousands. The citizens were also warned that they shall be fined if found not wearing masks in public domain. This action was started in right earnest in parallel. and before the commencement of second wave with effect from 10th of February 2021. More than 27 lakh people in Mumbai were fined Rs.200/- each for not wearing masks in public domain and were also given a free mask with a request not to repeat it again. 800 large hoardings were put-up all over Mumbai creating awareness of fight against COVID. ‘NO MASK NO ENTRY’ also became a slogan of this campaign wherein 45 lakh stickers were printed by Team MCGM and pasted on the doors of shops, shopping centres, offices, public transport, private taxies, private cars, bus shelters and so on. Print and Electronic media were also roped in to create awareness about this campaign. This was a huge success and played a major deterrent role in limiting maximum number of cases in a single day to roughly 11,000 only despite highly infectious nature of the new mutant virus which has resulted in the second wave in Mumbai. ‘MY FAMILY MY RESPONSIBILITY’ is undoubtedly one of the unique campaigns in the entire world. The moment this campaign ended on 15th November 2020, it was supplemented with ‘I AM RESPONSIBLE’ campaign which continues till date. Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), Mumbai is conducting social audit of the massive impact of the scheme, the results of which will be out soon. Team MCGM wisely decided not to close even a single bed in all 7 jumbo field hospitals in Mumbai even though around 15th of January 2021, jumbo field hospital at Nesco, Goregaon had only 3 patients on a particular day with a capacity of 3000 beds with 224 ICU beds. Team MCGM was indeed gearing up for the next wave. The first wave resulted in 3,13,000 cumulative COVID cases out of which 11,400 unfortunately passed away resulting in a mortality of 3.6%. However, the second wave which started with effect from 10th of February 2021 resulted in 3.82 lakh new cases till date with only 3122 deaths with a mortality rate of 0.8%, one of the lowest anywhere. This could be achieved due to successful implementation of a number of initiatives. conceived and designed by Team MCGM. These initiatives included ‘CHASE THE VIRUS’ policy, ‘CHASE THE PATIENT’ policy, Decentralized Ward War Rooms, Uber Platform based Ambulances, tremendous expansion in health infrastructure, more than 140 private hospitals on MCGM’s dashboard charging patients at Government rates and all bed allotment through Ward War Rooms, online portal for patient’s dialysis, online dashboard for crematoriums, abundant medicines at all times available in MCGM hospitals, etc. Although the Government of Maharashtra finalized a tender for procurement of 56,000 vials of Remdesivir at a cost of Rs. 550/- each on April 1st 2020, MCGM took a decision, fraught with risk, of procuring 2 lakh Remdesivir vials at the cost of Rs. 1558/- each on 5th of April 2021 inviting lot of criticism from some quarters. However, with zero supplies made to Government of Maharashtra tender till date, MCGM’s tender finally became the lowest in the market. 12 States have used this rate to place similar orders of Remdesivir. MCGM chose to save lives over the high cost of medicines.
On 17th April 2021 around midnight as soon as SOS call came that 6 hospitals were running out of oxygen and it was conveyed that in the next two hours 168 patients, including 34 in ICUs, would lose their lives, a massive operation was launched between 1.00 am and 5.00 am to shift all 168 patients to jumbo field hospitals. This ensured zero mortality. The oxygen management system of Mumbai was appreciated by the Supreme Court of India on the 5th of May 2021. Some High Courts also appreciated the initiatives taken in Mumbai and one of them even directed that such steps should be taken elsewhere also. Mumbai COVID management model has won accolades all over the world. Presently the positivity in Mumbai is down to nearly 4% signaling the end of the second wave.
Team MCGM has been on the forefront of vaccination drive also and has administered 3 million doses till date. It could have done much more but for the scarcity of vaccines. A global expression of interest has been floated by MCGM recently to procure 1 crore vaccines globally to vaccinate every eligible citizens in the next 90 days. The team is now gearing up for the third wave which may hit Mumbai in the next 3 to 4 months. The third one could be a pediatric wave. The construction of 4 new jumbo hospitals with 6,500 beds including 800 ICU and 70% oxygen beds has already started. These hospitals would have approximately 1000 pediatric cubicles. Pediatric patient treatment protocol for home quarantine and hospital cases is under preparation right now.
Team MCGM, under the inspired leadership of its Commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal had made-it-happen while effectively managing the fallout of the first COVID wave. They did not sit on their laurels and anticipated the second wave. What has been done now is truly exemplary and worthy of emulation elsewhere.
