Better facilities at hospitals and dispensaries on PCMC priority

At a meeting held on Wednesday,Municipal Commissioner Shrikar Pardeshi reviewed the plan he had set in motion a few months after assuming charge. The civic chief gave final shape to his plan while discussing with officials ways and means to augment the health facilities at its eight hospitals and 21 dispensaries. “While bed capacity and staff strength are being increased,we are also taking steps to purchase new instruments,” Pardeshi said.

The strength of hospitals would go up to nine while three-four more dispensaries would be set up,said officials.

The PCMC chief said his decision to improve the facilities at peripheral hospitals and dispensaries stemmed from the fact that YCM Hospital was finding it difficult to tackle the increased patient load. “Patients from across the industrial town are flooding YCM Hospital,which has better facilities in place than other peripheral hospitals. Therefore,we have decided to improve facilities at these hospitals so that citizens do not have rush all the way to YCM Hospital,” he said.

Civic health officials said the huge rush daily was making it difficult to smoothly run the hospital and take proper care of patients.

PCMC Health Officer Dr Anil Roy said a new 100-bed hospital would come up in Thergaon,which would be later upgraded to 200 beds.

The Jijamata hospital in Pimpri will also have 100 beds. Besides,Talera hospital in Chinchwad is undergoing an overhaul and extra beds will be provided there.

“Currently,the Jijamata hospital in Pimpri has some 30-40 beds. A complete new building is being constructed,which will have 100 beds,” said Dr Roy.

The PCMC chief said while a 50-bed hospital was already there in Bhosari,the town would get a new 100-bed hospital. “The existing hospital caters to pregnant women and we plan to set up an exclusive maternity ward there,” said Pardeshi.

Dr Roy said the Akurdi hospital too was being expanded. “Currently,we have a hospital with only a few beds. There is a plot for a school near the hospital. Since we already have a school in Akurdi,we will use the space to expand the hospital. We plan to construct a 100-bed hospital there,” he said.

YCM Hospital,which has two ICUs,is likely to get a third one besides a blood bank. Currently,PCMC has its lone blood bank at Talera hospital in Chinchwad. “The YCM Hospital will also get a pantry,which has become mandatory since we plan to set up a post-graduate institute,” said Dr Roy,adding that the pantry would provide free food to the patients.

However,areas like Phugewadi,Dapodi and Kasarwadi will still have to depend on OPD facilities provided at the dispensaries. Dr Roy said there was no plan to set up a well-equipped hospital in these areas. However,local corporator Kiran Mote said there was a pressing need for a hospital in Kasarwadi as there was no proper medical facility in the area. “There is no MBBS doctor in the area. It has only Ayurveda or homoeopathy practitioners. Residents of Kasarwadi,Nashik Phata,Shankarwadi and even Phugewadi have to rely heavily on YCM Hospital. We hope the municipal commissioner will take necessary steps to set up some facility in Kasarwadi,which will take care of the thousands of patients,” he said.

In Yamunanagar or Shahunagar too,PCMC has no plans to set up a hospital. “In Yamunanagar,we face land problem as it involved the Red Zone issue,” said Dr Roy.

However,on the PCMC agenda is an Infectious Disease Hospital,like the Naidu Hospital set up by the Pune Municipal Corporation. “We are looking for a two-three acre land for this hospital,which will take care of patients of rabies or cholera,” said Dr Roy.

He said while three to four new dispensaries were being set up,the existing ones were being upgraded. “We are ensuring that the existing dispensaries get all the necessary facilities like attached toilet and bathroom,which were lacking until now. Besides,the merged villages will get new dispensaries,” he said.

Welcoming the initiatives but sounding a note of caution,health activist Sachin Godambe said: “Until now it seemed like PCMC was promoting private hospitals as it was doing little to improve the state of medical facilities. Private hospitals have become completely unaffordable for the poor and even for the medical class. Therefore,PCMC’s measures are heart-warming,but the civic body should ensure that things are sped up. PCMC chief is a doctor himself and he understands how important are improved health facilities. Once he goes,things might come to a standstill.”