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After five deaths, Bhiwandi hospital loses DCHC status
The Bhiwandi Nizampur City Municipal Corporation (BNCMC) cancelled the recognition of a private hospital as a dedicated Covid health centre (DCHC) as it did not
The Bhiwandi Nizampur City Municipal Corporation (BNCMC) cancelled the recognition of a private hospital as a dedicated Covid health centre (DCHC) as it did not have adequate doctors, did not follow treatment protocol and registered high fatality rate. The hospital can now treat only non-Covid patients.
In a review meeting called by BNCMC commissioner Pankaj Ashiya with the Covid-19 task force, Ashiya cancelled the permission to treat Covid patients at Shree Varhaldevi Multispeciality Hospital. The 22-bed hospital, which was recognised as a DCHC on June 1 to treat moderate patients, has recorded five deaths in July itself.
“A hospital which is a dedicated Covid health centre that treats moderate patients should not record deaths as it is supposed to shift critical patients to a dedicated Covid hospital. The hospital has failed to follow the protocol. The hospital management has also accepted the fact that it does not have a physician or proper staff to treat patients,” said Ashiya.
The task force set up by the civic body is tasked with checking on Covid patients admitted at private hospital-turned-Covid hospitals or care centres and studying the cause of death of patients. As per the task force, Varhaldevi hospital recorded a high fatality rate in July with five deaths while no other DCHC private hospitals recorded a single death till date.
“Initially the hospital had claimed they have a physician, but during the meeting it was revealed that there is no physician in the hospital. The hospital will not admit any new Covid patients and the existing four-five patients will be shifted to Indira Gandhi Memorial Covid hospital,” added Ashiya.
“There have been several complaints from patients about lack of proper treatment at the hospital. As of now, the civic body has cancelled its permission to treat Covid patients. They can treat other patients. We have also issued a show-cause notice for closing it permanently, but the process will take a month. Depending on their reply, we might also register an offence against the hospital,” said Nitin Mokashi, medical officer of health, BNCMC.
Mrunal Suryavanshi, owner of the hospital, said, “The civic body never asked us to have a physician while it asked us to treat Covid patients. We have an intensivist who can look after ICU.” He futher added, “We have treated 120 Covid patients till now, some of whom were severe. We cannot avoid admitting patient when there is lot of pressure from local leaders and people.”
On Saturday, the Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) cancelled the registration of Horizon Prime Hospital for a month and its recognition as a Covid hospital for allegedly charging 56 Covid patients an additional of over ₹6 lakh.
Bhiwandi currently has 13 hospitals which have been converted into DCHCs with a total of 560 beds.
Bhiwandi city recorded 38 new Covid-19 cases on Sunday, taking the total number of cases to 3,678 and deaths to 249.
