When the pandemic started, the 10,000 patients with kidney disease in Mumbai were at high risk as they needed dialysis every two to three days. As they tested positive for Covid-19, it became a challenge to provide dialysis without spreading the infection.
To address this issue, the BMC, along with the Mumbai Nephrology Group and IIT-Bombay, developed a technology-based solution. Between May and December 2020, they ensured that 1,574 Covid-positive or suspected patients received appointments at one of the 25 dialysis centers set up for them. Dr. Jatin Kothari, a nephrologist involved in the effort, stated that these patients received appointments within 24 to 48 hours of registration.
A research article in the Indian Journal of Nephrology explains how Mumbai handled the Covidialysis crisis. The article mentions that nephrologists and engineers developed a web-based portal to provide real-time information about the availability of dialysis slots for Covid-infected patients to everyone involved in caring for chronic hemodialysis patients.
Dr. Kalpana Mehta, the dean of Nair hospital and a member of the Mumbai Nephrology Group, explained that many dialysis centers were closed during the early stages of the pandemic due to patients’ fear of coming in and the staff being affected. Transport was also an issue because of the lockdown. Dr. Vishwanath Billa from the Apex Kidney Foundation highlighted that they had a solution for kidney patients who were Covid-positive, but the missing piece was the connector. They approached IIT-B, and within 72 hours, the team led by Dr. Santosh Noronha designed a software that mapped every kidney patient with Covid and assigned them to the nearest Covidialysis center.
To accommodate the patients, the BMC installed 75 dialysis machines in the public sector, 35 in the private sector, and 23 in centers specifically for Covid-positive patients. Additionally, two machines were available for suspected patients.
