Mumbai today received a retrofitted autorickshaw which will bring oxygen treatment to the doorstep of severely unwell COVID-19 patients in its populous slums, where density has hindered the fight against the coronavirus disease.
In a tweet, Congress's Milind Deora said he hoped that the Mobile COVID-19 Oxygen Response van will help "decongest hospitals" in the state capital, which alone accounts for at least half of all fresh cases being reported in Maharashtra, the worst-hit state by coronavirus in India.
The vehicle will be handed over to the Mumbai municipal corporation, or the BMC, today, the former chief of Congress's Mumbai unit said while thanking the Godrej Group and Anant University for making this coronavirus emergency response vehicle a reality in collaboration with the Milind Deora Foundation.
Handing over these unique auto rickshaws to @mybmc shortly.
— Milind Deora मिलिंद देवरा (@milinddeora) July 5, 2020
The retrofitted ???? will visit Mumbai's sprawling slums to dispense oxygen & conduct #COVID19 tests.
Supported by @GodrejGroup & designed by @Anantuniv, I hope the mobile units will help decongest city hospitals ???????? pic.twitter.com/oxgqMwwazS
The Mobile COVID-19 Oxygen Response van has a stretcher for COVID-19 patient and bench for healthcare workers, an oxygen cylinder, a first aid kid and a humidifier.
Among its safety features are eight automatic sanitizer nozzles, which spray disinfectant before and after each patient's visit. The vehicle is also covered by twin layer of tarp with an insulation layer for the safety of the driver.
"The vehicle has been designed to meet needs of severely ill patients requiring emergency oxygen supply. It can reach narrow lanes and slum zones of the city which would otherwise have been inaccessible," states the video that showcases the vehicle's features.
It has a generator, one fan and a light fitting.
Maharashtra has recorded over 6,500 fresh cases with just half that number getting discharged from hospitals post recovery.
There are 86,057 active cases in the state at present. So far, 11,12,442 people have been tested across Maharashtra, the health department data showed.
Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world
