Dip in Covid cases frees up Pimpri-Chinchwad hospitals, but struggle continues for ventilator beds

Dr Rajendra Wable, dean of YCM hospital, said,"PCMC has banned shifting of ICU patients of private hospitals to civic hospitals, because many smaller hospitals seek to shift their patients to civic facilities only when their condition deteriorates.”

Huge number of beneficiaries line up for their first dose of Covid vaccine at Oyster and Pearl Hospital in Shivajinagar, Pune. (Express Photo)

With Covid-19 cases consistently dipping in the industrial city of Pimpri-Chinchwad for the past 10 days, nearly 60 per cent of the beds in civic and private hospitals are now vacant.

Ventilator beds in civic hospitals, however, still remain scarce, officials said, partly because patients from private hospitals too shift to government facilities once their condition worsens and the cost of treatment rises.

According to the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) health department, of the total 10,884 beds available in civic and private hospitals, by Sunday afternoon, 6,500, or 60 per cent of the beds were vacant, while 4,384 were occupied.

As many as 2,328 oxygen beds were vacant. Of these, 555 were vacant in private hospitals and 1,773 in civic hospitals. Only six ventilators were available in civic hospitals, while 40 were free in private hospitals by Sunday afternoon.

“In civic hospitals, it does not take time for ventilator beds to get filled as patients from five civic hospitals are shifted there as per the requirement,” said PCMC health chief Dr Anil Roy.

– Stay updated with the latest Pune news. Follow Express Pune on Twitter here and on Facebook here. You can also join our Express Pune Telegram channel here.

Dr Rajendra Wable, dean of YCM hospital, said,”PCMC runs five hospitals. It has banned shifting of ICU patients of private hospitals to civic hospitals. This is because many smaller hospitals seek to shift their patients to civic hospitals only when their condition deteriorates. At YCMH, we have patients either on oxygen support or ventilator support. Some of those who are on oxygen support require ventilator support and are shifted there. Also, we get patients from our other four facilities when their condition turns series. In short, ventilator beds are generally not available in civic hospitals,” he said.

Story continues below this ad

PCMC health chief Dr Pavan Salve said,”Unlike last month, this month, we have seen a consistent fall in numbers. In the last 10 days, we have seen less than 1,000 positive cases. As a result, a large number of vacant beds are now available in hospitals.”

Dr Salve said as many as 5,374 COVID-19 patients recovered on Saturday, which was among the highest recovery figures registered on a single day. He said till date, 2,46,054 citizens have tested positive for COVID-19. “Of these, 2.34,392 patients have recovered.

Meanwhile, the Bhosari MIDC police on Saturday took action against 70 persons caught violating Covid norms during their morning walk. A collective fine of Rs 35,000 was recovered from them.

Manoj Dattatrye More

Manoj Dattatrye More is a Senior Editor at The Indian Express, having been with the publication since 1992. Based in Pune, he is a veteran journalist with a 33-year career that spans editorial desk work, investigative reporting, and political analysis. Professional Legacy Experience: He spent his first 16 years on the editorial desk before moving into active field reporting. He has written over 20,000 stories, including more than 10,000 bylined articles. Impact Journalism: He is widely respected for "campaign-style" reporting that leads to tangible social change. Road Safety: His decade-long campaign regarding the dangerous state of the Pune-Mumbai highway in Khadki resulted in a ₹23 crore reconstruction project in 2006, which dramatically reduced fatalities. Environmental Protection: His reports against tree cutting on the Pune-Mumbai and Pune-Nashik highways saved approximately 2,000 trees. Anti-Corruption: During the COVID-19 pandemic, he exposed a scam where doctors were being asked to pay bribes for government jobs, resulting in them being hired without payment. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) Manoj More's recent work focuses heavily on the shifting political landscape of Maharashtra and civic governance in the Pimpri-Chinchwad area: 1. Political Shifts & Alliances "Ajit Pawar's NCP continues domination in Pune, wins 10 of 17 local bodies" (Dec 21, 2025): A major report on the local self-government election results, detailing the NCP’s stronghold in Baramati, Indapur, and Lonavala. "BJP ropes in 13 ex-corporators, deals major blow to NCP" (Dec 20, 2025): Reporting on a significant political defection in Pimpri-Chinchwad as the BJP gears up for civic polls. "Congress opts for solo BMC run as alliance talks with Sena (UBT) collapse" (Dec 17, 2025): Covering the breakdown of Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) talks for the Mumbai civic elections. "NCP(SP)'s Rahul Kalate, Sena (UBT) leader Sanjog Waghere set to join BJP" (Dec 19, 2025): Detailing high-profile party-hopping ahead of the municipal elections. 2. Civic & Administrative Accountability "PCMC draws ire for issuing tenders worth Rs 250 crore just before poll code" (Dec 17, 2025): An investigative piece on the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation’s last-minute spending spree before election restrictions. "93 killed in 76 accidents in five years: Bypass service roads in Pune remain undeveloped for 18 yrs" (Nov 16, 2025): A critical look at the long-delayed infrastructure projects contributing to fatalities on Pune’s bypass roads. 3. Social & Labor Issues "As state says TCS has laid off 376 employees: FITE flags figures, say nearly 2,500 were forced to quit" (Dec 11, 2025): Investigating conflicting reports regarding IT sector layoffs in Maharashtra. "Maharashtra govt move to 'downgrade' Aadhaar cards" (Nov 30, 2025): Reporting on the state’s decision to require additional documents alongside Aadhaar to combat identity misuse. Signature Beat Manoj More is the definitive voice on Pimpri-Chinchwad, an industrial hub he has covered for three decades. His reporting is characterized by its aggressive stance against local "gondaism" (thuggery) and a relentless focus on civic infrastructure—choked drains, garbage management, and public transport. X (Twitter): @manojmore91982 ... Read More

Click here to join Express Pune WhatsApp channel and get a curated list of our stories

Tags:
COVID-19

Loading Taboola...