COVID-19: Worst-hit Maharashtra writes to Kerala, seeks expertise

The Maharashtra government has formally written to the Kerala government seeking assistance to fight the Covid-19 pandemic in the worst-hit Mumbai-Pune industrial-commercial belt.

The development came days after Maharashtra`s Health Minister Rajesh Tope spoke to Kerala`s Health and Social Welfare Minister KK Shailaja and discussed the Covid-19 pandemic challenges.

Now, the Maharashtra government has sent an official letter seeking doctors and nurses for the pandemic crisis here.

Dr T.P. Lahane, Director, Medical Education and Research, -- who is the Nodal Officer, Covid-19 -- has said soon, the number of cases are expected to increase in Mumbai and Pune.

He has requested Minister Shailaja for a 50-member team of specialist doctors and nurses to assist the Maharashtra health authorities.

For their services, Maharashtra is prepared to pay MBBS doctors Rs 80,000 a month and Rs 2 lakh per month for MD/MS specialist doctors, which include physicians and intensivists.

For the Trained nursing staff, the state will pay Rs 30,000 a month.

The Maharashtra government will also provide accommodation, meals, required medicine and personal protective equipment to all the visiting doctors and nurses.

"Given the emerging situation, the Maharashtra government has decided to set up a 600-bedded COVID Health Care Center at Mahalakshmi Race Course in Mumbai City. It also included a 125 bedded ICU," says the letter by Lahane.

(With inputs from agencies)