No child specialist in Talera hospital,PCMC chief clueless

Hospital in-charge Dr Sudhir Jog however refutted the charge. He said the children were not turned away,but were sent to YCM hospital for further treatment after initial check up. Dr Jog said he had informed the medical department about the absence of a child specialist. Activists say since YCM hospital from Pimpri is located at a distance of four-five kilometre,the children requiring urgent treatment must have gone through a terrible time travelling all the way to Sant Tukaram Nagar. “In the times of swine flu when kids are under threat,they need immediate treatment and not running around in circles,” said activist Chetan Kachi. A majority of the patients who come to Talera hospital are from impoverished families including those from below poverty level and slum-dwellers.

Mayor Aparna Doke,in whose ward Talera hospital is located,is livid. “I too was not aware of the situation at the hospital. Nobody had the courtesy to inform me about the absence of a child specialist. I am shocked at the way the medical department functions,” the mayor said. Doke said she will ask the municipal commissioner to thoroughly investigate the matter and take all the correctives to avoid a repeat of the incident. “This should not have happened. There cannot be any compromise about the health of citizens and especially when matters relate to the well-being of children. I will wait for medical officers to brief me about the happening,” she said.

PCMC medical chief Dr Nagkumar Kunachgi is reportedly on leave. In his absence,the second-in-command Dr Rajshekhar Iyer said,”I may be the second-in-command but I think the charge is left with medical officer Dr Pavan Salve.” When contacted,Salve said there is actually no child specialist at Talera. “The medical officer there is functioning as a child specialist,” he said while stating that Dr Nagkumar will clarify things after his return. Dr Anand Jagdale,medical superintendent of YCM hospital,said there are three child specialists at YCMH for a 750-bed hospital. “Every hospital with over 50 beds should have one specialist. Since Talera has over 50 beds,it should have one bed,” Dr Jagdale said,adding that every day 200 children are brought to YCMH for treatment. The PCMC has eight hospitals,YCMH is the biggest and Talera stands second.