'Kamala Nehru Hospital sends us to other institutes for tests'

If one thinks that adequate infrastructure for civic-hospitals can solve patients' woes, then the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC)-run, six-storeyed and 640-bed capacity, Kamala Nehru Hospital in Mangalwar Peth will prove your assumption wrong.

What's wrong? Kamala Nehru Hospital. Pic/Imzanglu Aier

Thanks to the apathy
exhibited by the hospital administration, combined with that of the civic health department, those visiting the medical facility for treatment are forced to go to private or other civic-run hospitals for tests. Moreover, the intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the hospital has been non-functional for the last few months.

"I was admitted to the Kamala Nehru Hospital for flu in the past but the staff asked me to visit a private hospital for blood tests, where they quoted Rs 10,000 for the tests. The reason why I chose this hospital because I was hoping to seek treatment at subsidised rate. I shifted to Sassoon Hospital," said an auto driver.

‘Answer this'
Upon questioning the acting Medical Officer of Health (MoH) Dr S T Pardeshi the reasons for these shortcomings, he immediately called and summoned Dr D Bharatan, medical superintendent of the Kamala Nehru Hospital, to his office. "This is unfortunate. Such situation should never arise in the hospital," he said.

"There is a common budget of Rs 1 crore for PMC hospitals to purchase medicines. I am surprised why you are not utilising these funds, and resolve the issues using your authority," Pardeshi questioned Bharatan the moment he reached the MoH's office.

Crying foul
Local activists alleged that it was a conspiracy by a handful to privatise the hospital. Latendra Bhingare said, "For basic things like blood tests, sonography and X-rays, patients are asked to visit other medical facilities. At times the hospital even rejects patients citing staff crunch. If the PMC is this negligent towards its entity, then why did it spend so much money on constructing the hospital?"u00a0