Seven months after their complaint, CM opens AC hostel for Kalwa resident docs

Shinde was appalled by the living conditions in the hostel used by resident doctors of Kalwa hospital when they complained to him during a visit to the hospital on March 4 this year. Minutes later, Shinde publicly directed Thane municipal commissioner Abhijit Bangar to take action against those responsible

Thane: “I have delivered to you a five-star hostel as promised, and now I expect you to provide five-star services to our patients,” chief minister Eknath Shinde told postgraduate medical students of Rajiv Gandhi Medical College at Kalwa hospital after inaugurating a renovated four-storey hostel on Monday evening.

Seven months after their complaint, CM opens AC hostel for Kalwa resident docs

Shinde was appalled by the living conditions in the hostel used by resident doctors of Kalwa hospital when they complained to him during a visit to the hospital on March 4 this year. Minutes later, Shinde publicly directed Thane municipal commissioner Abhijit Bangar to take action against those responsible. Subsequently, the then-dean of Kalwa hospital Dr Yogesh Sharma, and deputy dean Dr Suchitkumar Kamkhedkar were suspended in connection with this. In June, Shinde approved a plan and allocated ₹11 crore to renovate the hospital on a war footing. Apart from the time taken for the tendering process, TMC completed the renovation within 90 days, Bangar said.

Shinde inspected the amenities and rooms provided at the hostel. MLA Pratap Sarnaik, former MLA Ravindra Phatak, former Mayor Naresh Mhaske, and others were present for the inauguration ceremony.

The hostel has 60 air-conditioned rooms with twin beds, a television, a study table and storage and can accommodate 114 beds. The total usable area spans 20, 450 sq ft. A fully equipped gymnasium and a refurbished canteen have been provided on the ground floor of the hostel. The TMC carried out a structural audit of the building before carrying out renovations.

Shinde also launched a scheme to provide specialised medical care for newborn children and their mothers. Under the scheme, emergency obstetric services will be provided to reduce the death rate of new mothers. An 18-bed Special New Born Units (SNCU) will be set up at the Kalwa hospital as well as Kopri Maternity Hospital aimed at reducing the death rate among newborns. The TMC will also provide 1,000 special kits to new mothers in civic hospitals for one year. The corporation’s call centre will contact pregnant women to provide them medical advice, and ensure the vaccination for the child, officials said.