Maharashtra / Pune Municipal Corporation orders 1L COVID-19 antigen kits for ₹4.5 cr

Pune: The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) on Tuesday ordered one lakh more antigen testing kits.

“The PMC has decided to purchase one lakh kits at a total cost of Rs 4.59 crore with immediate effect,” said Hemant Rasane, chairperson of the PMC’s standing committee.

“Covid-19 has created an emergency situation in the city and it is necessary to stock antigen kits. The stock procured earlier is finished,” said Additional Municipal Commission Rubal Agarwal.

Since the state government approved antigen testing on June 22, the PMC’s testing capacity has increased, allowing it to identify and isolate more Covid-19 patients.

Antigen tests are done on people with flu-like symptoms and asymptomatic high risk residents, including those with existing ailments of heart, lungs, kidneys, diabetes and blood pressure, along with those undergoing chemotherapy, HIV patients and organ transplant patients, senior citizens as well as pregnant women who need emergency treatment.

The PMC had sought expression of interest for purchasing the kits. SD Biosensor Healthcare offered to supply them within 24 hours for Rs 459.20 per kit, while Mylab Discovery Solutions offered to provide them for Rs 476 per kit within 10 days. The offer of SD Biosensor was approved by the standing committee. SD Biosensor had also supplied the PMC’s first stock of kits at Rs 450 per kit.

The committee also approved the civic administration’s proposal to spend Rs 25 crore on the jumbo facility centre at College of Engineering, Pune (CoEP), where 800 beds, including 600 oxygenated and 200 ICU beds, will be ready by next week.

The jumbo facility is being set up jointly by the state government, PMC, Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation and PMRDA. “The PMC has been entrusted to provide medical equipment, medicines, laboratory tests, X-ray machines, washing clothes and facility for disposal of biomedical waste, at the jumbo facility. The centre will be operational for six months and the civic body will have to spend Rs 25 crore for providing the various services,” said Municipal Commissioner Vikram Kumar.

The PMC also decided to transfer Rs 50 crore in advance to the PMRDA for managing the expenses of the jumbo facility. “The facility is estimated to have expenditure of Rs 86.60 crore per centre for six months. It includes expenses on infrastructure facility, medical operator facility, medical equipment purchase, accommodation and catering of medical staff,” said Kumar.

One jumbo facility will be in Pimpri-Chinchwad, he said, adding that the facility will also treat patients from Pune.