Pune: PCMC Hospitals Lack Burn Wards, Patients Face Critical Delays In Transfer To Sassoon Hospital
Pimpri Chinchwad, 9th December 2023: Despite being recognized as a wealthy municipality, not a single hospital within the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) possesses a burn ward to cater to burn patients’ immediate needs. The absence of a burn ward in the YCM Hospital forces patients to seek admission to other hospitals.
Under the medical department, the municipality oversees eight major hospitals, 27 dispensaries, and 20 health centres spread across various parts of the city. With a total bed capacity of 1,589 beds, including the largest Yashwantrao Chavan Memorial Hospital (YCM) with 750 beds in Pimpri, Thergaon with 400 beds, New Bhosari with 100 beds, New Akurdi with 130 beds, and New Jijamata with 120 beds, none of these hospitals are equipped with burn wards.
Consequently, burn patients are compelled to seek admission to Sassoon Hospital in Pune. YCM Hospital provides only initial first aid due to the absence of a burn room, resulting in delayed proper treatment when the patient is subsequently transferred to Sassoon Hospital, leading to instances of patient fatalities.
The population of Pimpri-Chinchwad city has witnessed rapid growth in recent years, currently standing at around 27 lakhs. The presence of Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) campuses in Bhosari, Talawade, and Chakan, Talegaon Dabhade, has led to numerous factories. In the event of an accident, the injured are admitted to YCM for initial treatment, after which they are shifted to Sassoon Hospital. Last year, YCM Hospital treated 213,116 burn patients, with first aid provided for minor injuries, while seriously injured cases were redirected to Sassoon Hospital.
Recognizing the necessity for a dedicated building for burn patient treatment, Chief Health Medical Officer Dr. Nagkumar Kunachagi proposed the idea in 2009. A proposal for twenty crores was submitted to the administration, and a budget provision was made. However, it appears that the proposal has been forgotten over time.
In a tragic incident yesterday, six workers lost their lives on the spot following a fire in a spark candle factory in Talwade. Ten injured workers are currently receiving treatment at Pune’s Sassoon Hospital, with four women in critical condition.
