Thane/Pune (Maharashtra): The administration of the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Hospital in Kalwa, Thane, has again found itself in the midst of controversy. At least 18 patients have died in this hospital in just 48 hours.
Sharing details, Thane Municipal Commissioner Abhijit Bangar told reporters, "18 deaths have been reported in the last 48 hours. Some of the patients, who have died were already receiving treatment for various ailments including chronic kidney disease, pneumonia, kerosene poisoning, road accident and other reasons."
According to the TMC chief, he has briefed Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on these deaths. "A committee will be constituted for an impartial investigation into this incident to find out if the patients received optimal treatment," added Bangar, an IAS officer.
It is understood that of the 18 patients, 12 died in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). There has been a huge chaos in hospital administration, insufficient manpower and doctors and a huge increase in the number of patients. As a result, many people lost their lives in a single night. The hospital administration said that some of the patients died after they came from private hospitals at the last moment. "Some of them were over 80 years of age. But since the closure of the civil hospital, all the patients from the Thane district are coming here, so there is a shortage of doctors and medical facilities," the officials admitted.
Maharashtra Health Minister Tanaji Sawant said the dean of the hospital has been asked to submit a report in two days. "Action will be taken as per the report of the dean. This hospital comes under the state medical education and research department. Its minister Hasan Mushrif has reached the hospital and he is looking into the matter," Sawant told reporters in Pune.