18 June,2015 07:47 AM IST | | Sadaguru Pandit
Despite undergoing renovation in September 2014, most of the patients visiting the Thane Civil Hospital are compelled to get MRI and CT scans done either at private centres or civic hospitals in Mumbai
Despite undergoing renovation in September 2014, most of the patients visiting the Thane Civil Hospital are compelled to get MRI and CT scans done either at private centres or civic hospitals in Mumbai. Patients visiting the 400-bed medical facility have expressed grievances against the shoddy attitude exhibited by the hospital authorities in upgrading medical facilities at the hospital.
Despite its inauguration in February, the CT scan department at Thane Civil Hospital has remained shut ever since the machine developed a technical glitch over two months ago
A few of them even said that instead of revamping the sitting area and promenade, the hospital management should have focused on providing MRI and CT scan facilities to patients. This, they said, would help them avoid the trouble of travelling all the way to KEM and JJ Hospitals in Mumbai.
Lamenting the poor healthcare services provided by the hospital, Guru Koli claimed his father would had breathed his last, had he had to spend a few more days at the medical facility. Narrating his experience, Guru said, "My father Ishwar was knocked down by a biker on June 3 in Navpada, following which he remained unattended at the spot for the next couple of hours.
He sustained a grievous head injury in the mishap and was rushed to the hospital by the Navpada police, after one of the locals informed them about the accident. My father lacked identity proof on the day of the accident, and it took us six days to trace him. I found him at the Thane hospital on June 9. They couldn't perform the CT scan on him, because the machine has been lying defunct for the last two months."
He claimed that the hospital staff asked him to shift Ishwar to KEM Hospital for further treatment. "All they did was give him saline and first aid treatment. Only after reaching KEM, my father received proper treatment. Citing lack of equipment and resources, they refer several patients to other hospitals in Mumbai," said Guru.
In September 2014, the PWD department claimed it had successfully constructed the CT scan department and that it would start functioning within weeks. However, the department remained shut for months due to some or the other reason. Sources claimed the department that was opened in February has remained shut for nearly four months now. However, since its inauguration, the machine has failed to remain functional for longer durations.
"The machine kept developing technical glitches. Eventually, they closed the department and started referring patients to other hospitals," said a hospital staffer, requesting anonymity. On the other hand, the MRI facility that was supposed to be launched on Public Private Partnership (PPP) basis has also failed to come into operation. According to sources, the project has remained on paper ever since it was proposed years ago.
Corporator speak
Commenting on the issue, Shiv Sena corporator Sudhir Kokate blamed the lack of coordination between the hospital authorities, civic body and the state for the existing disarray at the civil hospital. Kokate claimed that he has been following up the issue with the public health department regularly.
"I have written letters to the district guardian minister, public health department and national-level authorities, demanding that the hospital be converted into a multi-speciality medical facility. Moreover, the hospital authorities have exhibited incompetence in bringing the necessary changes to upgrade the hospital. Instead, they rely on facilities offered by civic hospitals in Mumbai," said Kokate.
The other side
Dr Raghunath Rathod, additional civil surgeon, Thane Civil Hospital, said while the responsibility to initiate the MRI services belonged to the public health department, they would soon restart the CT scan department by repairing the defunct the machine. "The machine had developed a technical glitch and our engineers are fixing it.
Within a day or two, it should be operational. Talking about the MRI facility, none of the civic hospitals offer it. I had heard that it was supposed to be operated on PPP (Public-Private Partnership) basis, but I don't have further information on the same,' said Rathod.
