Mumbai: BEST rushes to provide Remdesivir to its ailing staffers in civic, private hospitals

MUMBAI: A 57-year-old Covid-19 suspect bus driver of BEST undertaking, who is a resident of Vashi, was admitted at NMMC hospital on June 30 in serious condition. As local authorities did not have Remdesivir, BEST provided this injection despite the shortage of same in the market, officials said.
"We have rushed in few more cases wherein our staffers are undergoing treatment at various civic and private hospitals past few days.We are ready with an emergency stock of Remdesivir which we provide to save lives of our drivers, conductors and other staff," said BEST chief medical officer, Dr Anil Kumar Singhal.
"Due to proactive efforts taken by the entire Covid response team of BEST, we have succeeded in getting 605 staffers discharged with full recovery from hospitals till date,'' the doctor said. The total number of Covid=19 positive cases in BEST has crossed the 800-mark but the recovery rate was 75%.
The BEST management has been claiming that it has taken adequate steps -- such as check up of workers, social distancing at depots and buses and given masks, sanitisers, gloves, vitamin tablets etc. If that is the case, then why is there an increase in numbers daily?" asked union leader Shashank Rao, who is personally standing with other workers outside depots in protest daily.
He has demanded dedicated temporary Covid hospital at Dindoshi and Wadala training centres and Quarantine facilities at all 27 bus depots.