Maharashtra Begins Groundwork for Covid Third Wave as State Expects 50 Lakh Cases

The Maharashtra government has reportedly begun bracing itself for the third wave of Covid-19 with building more state-run medical facilities. Experts estimate approximately 50 lakh cases to be recorded in Maharashtra during the third wave.

Out of the estimated 50 lakh cases, around 25 lakhs will require government facilities – starting from essential medicines and kits, The Times of India reported.

In this light, the public health department has submitted a Rs 1,676-crore proposal for Covid-19 plan, which included Rs 782 crore to procure essential medicines and consumables for Covid and Covidassociated diseases and Rs 893 crore for newer medicines required for treatment of mild to moderate Covid patients, the report added.

The state government is set to scale up stocks of essential medicines and testing kits. It’s been estimated that eight lakh vials of remdesivir will be required for the third wave and the government is setting up an inventory for 1.25 crore RT-PCR and 87.5 lakh antigen tests.

During a Covid-19 meeting with experts, Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray was informed that the state can expect the maximum active caseload to touch eight lakh, of which four lakh are presumed likely to seek public health support. Among the 50 lakh cases, five lakh children are expected to be infected. Out of these five lakh children, 2.5 lakh will be expected to visit public centres and 3.5% children may need admission and treatment under supervision of paediatricians.

“No final figures yet, two/three projections needs to be studied and converged. Our presentation was based on assumptions. As suggested by the task force, we will fine-tune it,” state health commissioner N Ramaswamy told CM Thackeray.

Meanwhile, Medical education director T P Lahane told TOI, “In the first wave, we had 19 lakh cases. In the second, it crossed 40 lakh. Since new variants are emerging, it will be difficult to predict the number of cases in the third wave. We are prepared… but we do not know if there will be third wave at all.”

The government will formulate new policies for use and procurement of new medicines, particularly those which are not in protocols published by the state or central government, a senior official was quoted in the report.

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