Old, dingy and cramped beds, Sassoon’s respiratory disease department awaits breathing space

PUNE Sassoon General Hospital’s respiratory disease department has been awaiting upgradation for years now, however, the departments hope of getting a better place in the new 11-storey building is a distant dream

PUNE Sassoon General Hospital’s respiratory disease department has been awaiting upgradation for years now, however, the departments hope of getting a better place in the new 11-storey building is a distant dream.

The department is currently located in a heritage building inside the BJ Medical College and Sassoon General Hospital premises, and so it cannot be fully renovated (HT PHOTO)

The department handles critical tuberculosis (TB) patients, who are often seen lying on the beds along with their relatives, including kids. The department is currently located in a heritage building inside the BJ Medical College and Sassoon General Hospital premises, and so it cannot be fully renovated.

Currently, new 11-storey building, which was being used as a Covid-19 hospital, is non-covid services. Four departments namely, paediatric, ophthalmology, orthopedic and ENT departments have begun the shifting process of patients. However, the original plan had also mentioned to accommodate the respiratory disease department which as of now is located in a building built in 1867. The building is currently a heritage structure and although there are plans to renovate the structure it cannot be modified completely, said officials.

The building has antique wooden windows covered with nets, and so the air ventilation is not efficient. Most of the patients currently admitted are those of tuberculosis, which is a respiratory disease. Dr Vinayak Kale, B J Medical College and Sassoon General Hospital Dean said, “The plan is yet to be finalised and things are in process. It is essential that tuberculosis patients or respiratory disease patients are isolated in a separate ward as they could be potential spreaders. There are plans to renovate the existing structure as per the standards of renovating a heritage structure.”

Dr Sanjay Gaikwad, head of the respiratory disease department said, “India is the largest contributor of tuberculosis cases in the world. We aim to eradicate TB by 2025.”

A resident doctor working in the department, requesting anonymity said, “The department only has a few beds, separate for men and women. However, there is no space to isolate XDR TB and MDR TB which is essential to control the spread of the infection. Also, those patients who begin to recover have to be isolated so that the infection does not spread any more. Also. relatives have to be isolated from the patients, however the space here is so cramped up that the relatives are often sharing the bed with the patient. The department is very old and dingy and often pigeons roam around which is harmful for those suffering from respiratory disease.”