MUMBAI: As coronavirus cases continue to rise unabated in Mumbai, the Maharashtra government on Thursday deputed three IAS officers to three major civic-run hospitals in the city for effective management of the outbreak.
Chief secretary Ajoy Mehta deputed the IAS officers for effective control and management of KEM, Sion and Nair hospitals, which are handling most of the cases, in dealing with the coronavirus outbreak, said the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).
Another IAS officer has been deputed to two state government-run hospitals. A BMC release said the responsibility of Nair Hospital has been given to 2007-batch IAS officer Madan Nagargoje, while his batch mate Ajit Patil will oversee the functioning of KEM Hospital. It said that Balaji Manjule, a 2009-batch IAS officer, has been deputed to Sion Hospital.
Municipal commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal has briefed the three officers about availability of manpower, various services and facilities at these multi-speciality civic hospitals and tasks they have to accomplish during their deputation, the release said.
It said that apart from this, the responsibility of state-run GT Hospital and JJ Hospital has been given to 2011-batch IAS officer Sushil Khodvekar, who is deputy secretary in the school education department. He, too, attended the briefing session with the civic commissioner.
Mumbai, one of the top coronavirus hotspots in the county, has so far recorded nearly 24,000 positive cases and around 850 deaths. The BMC is spearheading Mumbai's response to the pandemic.