Former Pune mayor passes away due to Covid after his family struggles to get bed - Hindustan Times
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Former Pune mayor passes away due to Covid after his family struggles to get bed

Hindustan Times, Pune | ByAbhay Khairnar
Sep 04, 2020 04:14 PM IST

Datta Ekbote (84) was admitted at government-run Sassoon hospital on August 22 after his family members and other Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leaders failed to get a bed at a private hospital

Former mayor Datta Ekbote passed away around midnight on Wednesday in the city though his death brings in focus shortage of beds and lack of coordination among agencies.

Members of Pawan Sanghatna, protest at jumbo Covid-19 facility, at COEP, Shivajinagar in Pune, on Thursday.(HT PHOTO)
Members of Pawan Sanghatna, protest at jumbo Covid-19 facility, at COEP, Shivajinagar in Pune, on Thursday.(HT PHOTO)

Ekbote (84) was admitted at government-run Sassoon hospital on August 22 after his family members and other Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leaders failed to get a bed at a private hospital.

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Ekbote’s grandson Gaurav said, “Three persons from our family were admitted in a private hospital on July 27 and recovered on August 18. As Ekbote once again complained of discomfort, he was admitted at Sassoon hospital along with another son Ravindra, who passed away on August 31, at Sassoon.”

His death came after three more patients passed away at the recently inaugurated jumbo facility in the city on which the government and PMC together spent Rs 80 crore. Many questioned why are people facing difficulty in getting beds despite administration setting up an 800-bed jumbo facility at College of Engineering, Pune, at Shivajinagar.

While the facility is proposed to have 800 beds all are not operational. As per the PMC dashboard status at 7 pm on Thursday, total ICU beds with ventilator were shown as 753 of which 48 were vacant. While the Covid cases are increasing, fatalities have also gone up with each day reporting deaths within the range of 40 to 50.

Meanwhile, Pune municipal commissioner Vikram Kumar on Thursday inspected the jumbo facility developed at College of Engineering Pune and expressed unhappiness over various lacunas in the facility.

While many citizens and politicians are complaining about the jumbo facility, the death of a journalist Pandurang Raykar there triggered sharp reactions from opposition leaders.

Taking serious note of Raykar’s death, Kumar wrote a letter to the Pune Metropolitan Region Development (PMRDA) commissioner Suhas Divase and pointed out his observations.

Kumar mentioned in the letter, “Though the jumbo hospital is planned for 800 beds all beds are not operational and there is not enough manpower in the hospital. There are many complaints of patients not getting food and breakfast. The system for the management of bodies of deceased is also not in place.”

Observations pointed out by municipal commissioner about the jumbo facility

- Less medical staff

-Patients not getting food and breakfast properly and on time

- No proper system in place to manage bodies of deceased

- Despite instructions to keep 50 beds for suspected patients only 10 beds are available

-Less data entry manpower

-Without identity, patients won’t be admitted

Pune Mayor blames PMRDA and state government

Pune Mayor Murlidhar Mohol blamed state government and Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority (PMRDA) for poor management of the jumbo facility. “The PMRDA administration and state officers are misleading office bearers. If the 800-bed hospital was not complete they should have alerted the state government. PMC had only funded it but the work was carried out by PMRDA.”

“It is the PMRDA’s responsibility to check whether all things are placed or not. Now it is a challenge in front of us to create confidence among the residents to vail service at the jumbo facility. Now PMC will interfere and monitor the work here,” he said.

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