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Say Yes To Helmets: Pune’s Sancheti hospital to impose helmet rule from December 1
City hospitals have started supporting the helmet drive initiative started by the Pune police and advocated by Hindustan Times
City hospitals have started supporting the helmet drive initiative started by the Pune police and advocated by Hindustan Times. Sancheti institute for orthopaedics and rehabilitation, one of the city’s prominent hospitals that sees maximum number of accident victims compared to other local hospitals due to its specialisation in orthopaedics, has claimed to start a helmet drive themselves beginning next month.
Dr Parag Sancheti, chairman of the hospital, said, “I fail to understand the resistance of people towards wearing helmets. However, if it is made mandatory, I am sure many brain injury cases will be reduced letting patients recover early from their accidental trauma.”
Giving insight about the new ‘helmet drive’ at his hospital, he said, “We extend total support towards the campaign started by Hindustan Times and the Pune police’s decision. We will make helmet compulsory on our campus and have put up notices to let people know about the importance of wearing helmets. We will also be imposing fine on those who are seen without wearing the head gear and the staff will lose a half-day pay if found violating the helmet rule. More awareness about protection of one’s head from any kind of brain or head injury after wearing helmet is needed and we at the hospital will be doing the same by spreading awareness through counselling and talks which will be shared with patients and visitors,” Sancheti said.
The hospital sees around 15 patients of accidents every day, which is the highest number of admission of accidental cases compared to any other hospital in Pune. Sancheti said, “We specialise in orthopaedics and people are aware of the care and treatment related to the same. Hence, we see maximum accident victims as compared to other local hospitals. We get both kind of patients — four-wheeler and two-wheeler accident victims. Patients with multiple fractures and brain injuries are commonly seen and the injuries mainly related to the head can be controlled if the head is protected,” he said.
Sharing his experience when patients and others are counselled on wearing a helmet to avoid injuries to the brain, he said that many confess that they find wearing it uncomfortable, helmet leads to neck pain or discomfort, affects vision and hearing etc. “On this we often suggest to get used to the product as it is only for one’s safety and to avoid issues related to helmet, one should often wear lightweight helmets, but of good quality which will not lead to neck pain and further discomfort,” Sancheti said, adding that wearing helmets at the hospitals will be made compulsory from December 1 onwards.
‘A careless act almost cost his life’
Twenty-year-old Arun Galphade is one of the survivors of a two-wheeler accident recuperating at Sancheti hospital. Arun met with the accident when his bike skid on Sangamwadi bridge on the night of November 22.
Giving details of the accident, Sarika Galphade, the victim’s sister, said, “He is just 20 years old and the only breadwinner for our family comprising our old parents and three siblings. We are extremely poor and live in Yerawada slums. Arun is the youngest among three children and works in a dhol-pathak group. The careless act of not wearing helmet almost cost Arun his life.”
“His bike skid on Sangamwadi bridge on the night of November 22. Usually he wears helmet, but that very day he was not wearing one. He suffered severe injuries on his head and body. His hands, back, knees have suffered maximum bruises and wounds. He is still admitted in the hospital and we are praying for his quick recovery,” she said.
Sending out a strong message to all, Sarika said, “We urge people to not take life for granted and always wear protective gear while on the roads. It is not necessary that an accident means a collision between two vehicles, but it can happen due to a skid or a slip or just by careless attitude. Hence, always wear a helmet.”
