Patient spots worms in drinking water at New Thergaon Hospital
The civic body has issued a show-cause notice and penalised the housekeeping firm of the hospital, said the officials
Amid the much-lauded ongoing ‘Beat Dengue’ campaign of Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC), a patient admitted at New Thergaon Hospital found worms in drinking water on Saturday.
The civic body has issued a show-cause notice and penalised the housekeeping firm of the hospital, said the officials.
Patient Chaitanya Shinde, admitted to the New Thergaon Hospital, experienced this issue firsthand. His wife, Alka, had gone to the ground floor of the hospital to fetch drinking water from the filtered water dispenser. After filling the bottle, she noticed worms floating in the water.
The New Thergaon Hospital is a 100-bed hospital and has a water filter assumed to be clean but was found to contain worms.
Sharad Shetty, health activist, said the incident is alarming, considering that hundreds of patients and their relatives visit the hospital daily for treatment.
“The presence of contaminated water in a healthcare facility reflects a grave lapse in hygiene and safety standards, endangering the health of those seeking care. Immediate action from the hospital administration is necessary to ensure the safety and well-being of all patients and visitors,” he said.
Dr Laxman Gophane, health officer of PCMC, informed the issue has been taken seriously and a meeting was held on Sunday will all healthcare facility heads of PMC. Instructions have been given to ramp up the hygiene and cleanliness at the hospitals.
“We have issued a show-cause notice to the house keeping firm of the hospital. Also, a penalty of ₹10,000 has been collected from the firm. The Thergaon hospital superintendent has been advised to regularly clean the drinking water filters and maintain good hygiene at the hospital,” said Dr Gophane.