Covid-19: After complaints about centre at Worli, Aaditya orders to shift patients

Patients admitted to RA Podar Ayurved Medical College, Worli, have claimed that the 376-bed quarantine centre lacks basic amenities such as clean toilets, drinking water, food and cleanliness in hospital wards.

HT Image

After videos highlighting the poor facilities and unhygienic conditions went viral, Worli legislator and Maharashtra environment minister Aaditya Thackeray tweeted on Monday that these patients have been shifted to another quarantine centre.

“Strict action has been taken against those responsible for inconvenience. These patients have been shifted to another quarantine centre. They sent me videos from there. I contacted them and apologised for what happened at Podar Hospital. I have shared my contact number with them so they can contact me if they require any help,” Thackeray had tweeted.

However, officials at the hospital said the patients have not been shifted to any other quarantine centre. “Yes from the past two days, there have been some issues pertaining to the quarantine facility. But we are working on it now with the help of other departments as well as the civic body. The repair and maintenance work of the toilets are ongoing and we have also appointed dedicated staff to take care of the quarantined patients,” Dr K Rajeshwar Reddy, head of the hospital’s coronavirus wing, told HT.

Earlier, one of the quarantined patients had alleging that toilets are unfit for use. “It would have been better to die with coronavirus infection at home,” the woman had said in a video.

Patients had claimed that the hospital administration did not visit the ward despite several requests made by them on the unhygienic conditions at the quarantine centre.

Of the patients quarantined at Podar Hospital, 35 from Worli koliwada, which has been among the worst-affected areas of the city.