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PMC panel says no money demanded for tubectomy at civic facility
While PMC panel gives Jijau Maternity Home a clean chit in tubectomy complaint, it has decided to reinvestigate the case to rule out possibility of foul play
PUNE: While the committee appointed by the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) to investigate a complaint against the Jijau Maternity Home near Mitra Mandal Chowk has given the civic-run facility a clean chit, the PMC has decided that the complaint will be reinvestigated by its senior officers to rule out the possibility of any foul play.
In the written complaint received by the PMC health department on July 18, former corporator Manjusha Nagpure requested action against the staffers at Jijau Maternity Home. Allegedly, a woman approached the maternity home for a tubectomy procedure on July 16. And while it is mandatory for tubectomy procedures to be conducted free-of-cost at all civic-run hospitals, the medical officer and staff at Jijau demanded from the woman a total ₹550 under the pretext of a blood test, Tena bed underpad (for incontinency) and fitness certificate.
Following this, the committee was appointed by the PMC to investigate the complaint. In its report, the committee stated that no money was demanded from the woman at Jijau and that staffers at the maternity home informed the woman that she would incur some charges if the facility and equipment were taken outside Jijau. The PMC health department officials however found the committee report doubtful due to which, the civic body has now decided to conduct a reinvestigation into the complaint.
Dr Pralhad Patil, assistant health officer of the PMC, informed that the committee report was submitted on Thursday, but it was unclear and inconclusive. “The report mentions that the patient was informed prior to the procedure that a fitness certificate was required and that it would cost around ₹400 from a private doctor. The patient was further informed that a Tena bed underpad would cost ₹150 if purchased from outside,” Dr Patil said.
Dr Bhagwan Pawar, health officer of the PMC said that senior officers would reinvestigate the complaint against Jijau and that the investigation would be unbiased. “The current investigation was carried out by the zonal medical officer and ward medical officer but the report is incomplete and lacks clarity,” he said.
Dr Pawar further said, “Civic hospitals have doctors so where is the need to get a fitness certificate from outside? If a Tena bed underpad is unavailable at the hospital, a request has to be raised for supply of the same. Meanwhile, no action will be taken and we will wait till the senior officer submits the reinvestigation report.”
