Dialysis patients oppose move to turn Kalyan hospital into Covid-19 facility

More than 200 dialysis patients of Dr CB Vaidya Memorial Hospital in Kalyan (West) have opposed Kalyan Dombivli Municipal Corporation’s (KDMC’s) decision to use

More than 200 dialysis patients of Dr CB Vaidya Memorial Hospital in Kalyan (West) have opposed Kalyan Dombivli Municipal Corporation’s (KDMC’s) decision to use the hospital as a Covid-19 facility from Thursday.

HT Image

KDMC additional commissioner Sunil Pawar said, ”We directed our patients to other hospitals, but they complained of lack of proper treatment. We will inquire into it and take the necessary steps if required.”

Several dialysis patients as well as residents living nearby, gathered outside the private hospital on Thursday and questioned how non-Covid patients, especially those undergoing dialysis, will seek treatment now, while the residents were worried to have a Covid-19 hospital in their area.

“The decision to take over the hospital for the treatment of Covid-19 patients left us completely clueless about our treatments. One patient was discharged a few days back and asked to undergo treatment at another hospital in Dombivli but died owing to lack of proper treatment. There are more than 200 dialysis and chemotherapy patients in the hospital. Now they all have to seek treatment elsewhere,” said Vidya Fadtale, 47, a dialysis patient, who was undergoing treatment at the hospital from the past three years.

Locals also met KDMC officials as well as Thane collector, Kalyan parliamentarian Shrikant Shinde and other local politicians over the issue. Around 16 societies from the area sent a letter to civic body chief Vijay Suryavanshi with their signatures explaining their fears over turning the hospital into a Covid-19 facility.

In a letter written to the civic body chief, residents said Tilak chowk houses around 20,000 people and the roads in the area are very narrow.

“If ambulances keep visiting the area, it will be very difficult for residents to step out. We all are in a state of panic as the hospital has been taken over for Covid-19 patients. There are several hospitals in the city which are not located in residential areas and have better facilities. The civic body should choose such hospitals for Covid care, “said Nitin Paudwal, 51, a resident of Shrikant building in Tilak Chowk.

Kalyan doctors’ army spokesperson Prashant Patil said, “KDMC health department officials along with a microbiologist conduct a thorough survey before a hospital is finalised to be used as a Covid-19 facility. They check if the hospital has the facility and the necessary manpower and then give a nod.”

KDMC recorded 580 Covid-19 cases on Thursday, taking the total number of cases to 10,931. The six deaths reported on Thursday took the fatalities to 164.