52 private hospitals to be added to PMC’s disease surveillance network

With this expansion, a total of 153 private hospitals in the city will now report cases of infectious and communicable diseases to the Metropolitan Surveillance Unit (MSU) of the civic body, said the officials.

Pune: In a bid to strengthen monitoring and early detection of infectious diseases, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has decided to bring 52 additional private hospitals under its disease surveillance network. With this expansion, a total of 153 private hospitals in the city will now report cases of infectious and communicable diseases to the Metropolitan Surveillance Unit (MSU) of the civic body, said the officials.

52 private hospitals to be added to PMC’s disease surveillance network

“Private hospitals play a crucial role in treating patients with communicable diseases. By expanding the surveillance network, we will be able to detect outbreaks earlier and respond more effectively,” said Dr Vaishali Jadhav, assistant health chief of PMC.

As part of the initiative, the civic body will conduct training sessions for doctors, nursing staff and administrative personnel of the newly added hospitals next week. The training will focus on disease surveillance protocols, timely reporting and use of digital reporting systems. This time, medium-sized hospitals with over 50 beds will be included to ensure that all admitted patients with communicable diseases in these facilities are captured in the surveillance system.

Dr Jadhav, who is also head of the MSU, said, “Many patients seek treatment at smaller hospitals. Their inclusion will help close reporting gaps. The unit is fully operational and will help monitor disease trends daily and support quick decision-making during outbreaks or epidemics,” she added.