Kalwa hospital lacks emergency facilities: TMC corporators

Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Hospital in Kalwa is again under scanner with the general body reading a list of complaints against the hospital in a meeting on Wednesday.

Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Hospital in Kalwa is again under scanner with the general body reading a list of complaints against the hospital in a meeting on Wednesday.

HT Image

The corporators allege that doctors in the hospital are unavailable most of the time, hospital refuses to admit patients without relatives and it also lacks emergency facilities.

In August, the general body of Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) had discussed the shabby and dangerous condition of the hospital after the dean was caught on camera showing it to some politicians.

On Wednesday, the general body also demanded removing the hospital charge from the dean. The civic administration stated that a higher level officer cannot be removed without going through a proper procedure.

The issue was raised by Sena corporator Sanjay Bhoir.

“The hospital does not have Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) and newborns are sent to other hospitals. Doctors are impolite with the patient’s relatives,” he said.

NCP corporator from Mumbra Shanu Pathan said he had taken a woman patient to the hospital few days ago, however the hospital refused to admit her as she had no relatives.

Naresh Mhaske, Sena corporator remarked that the hospital’s prime duty is to treat any patient which comes at their doorstep. He said, “They will have to treat all the patients who come to them without checking if they have relatives or not.”

Milind Patankar, NCP corporator added that the decision to form an all-party committee to resolve the problems of Kalwa hospital taken in the previous meetings should be implemented immediately.

Meenakshi Shinde, who chaired the meeting as mayor on Wednesday, said, “If the hospital in-charge cannot resolve the issues regularly raised by the general body, the administration should appoint some capable person for the post.”

Additional municipal commissioner Rajendra Ahiwar asid a proper procedure needs to be followed if the hospital in-charge is to be replaced and cannot be done overnight.

Dean Dr Sandhya Khadse said the hospital is undergoing renovation. She said, “The hospital is undergoing renovation, thus we have only 12 incubators in the NICU. After the renovation, we will have 30 incubators and can accommodate more newborns.”

She however did not comment on the other allegations.

NCP corporator Najib Mullah demanded that the GR of July 2019 on increasing the retirement age of doctors be implemented. He said, “Out of the 73 post for doctors in TMC, 61 posts are filled. If the GR is implemented, the doctors who retire after 60 can work two more years giving time to the TMC to replace them.”

Bike ambulance got only one call

In January this year, TMC introduced around 15 bike ambulances in the city to provide quick medical services. The ambulances were supposed to reach the narrow bylanes and congested roads, where the bigger ambulances cannot. Dr Anirudha Malgaonkar, medical officer of TMC, said the ambulance has received merely one call till now since its inception. He added that a toll- free number for the bike ambulance will soon be released.