Times of India
03 September 2010
By Tarun Nangia

Healthcare is not on the PCMC’s priority list. It does not seem to care about the health of over 17 lakh residents. Out of 56 hospitals and maternity homes earmarked in the DP, only six have been built so far
As PCMC announces one ambitious plan after another which will cost crores of rupees, there are some basic amenities that they haven’t been able to provide to their citizens. A major area of neglect is healthcare. Shockingly, though 56 hospitals have been listed in the development plans (DP) of 1995 and 2000, only six have been constructed.

The basic duties of the municipal corporation are to provide good water supply, sanitation, garbage disposal, motorable roads, elementary education and healthcare facilities to its citizens. But PCMC, in the recent years, has been spending money on big projects involving huge capital expenditure, at the expense of providing these basic facilities.

"Twenty five hospitals were proposed in the DP of 1995, out of which only six have been developed till date. In 1997, new villages were merged within the PCMC limits, the development plan of these villages was published in 2000 and was approved in 2008. This development plan states that 31 hospitals would be built in these newly merged villages, none of which have been built till date," said corporator Seema Savle, who had filed an RTI application which revealed the status of the number of hospitals developed in Pimpri Chinchwad.

Lakhs of people who avail facilities of public hospitals in Pimpri Chinchwad have to go to six operational hospitals run by PCMC. These are always full of patients and many people cannot get adequate medical care. Moreover, the staff is overloaded with work. Also, since maternity homes have not been developed, these six hospitals even have to bear the added load of such cases.

Speaking on the issue, Dr Ranjitsingh Mane, director, Om Hospital, Chinchwad, said, "Every citizen should have access to basic facilities such as healthcare. In Pimpri–Chinchwad, YCMH and Sassoon General Hospital in Pune are under a lot of load. Nowadays, the cost of basic drugs has also skyrocketed, generic pills which can be procured for as little as 10 paise are being sold for Rs five. Having more hospitals is the need of the hour to serve an increasing population."

Dr Dasmit Singh, child specialist and surgeon, Jehangir Hospital, who, on an honorary basis, works at YCMH, said, "The poor man suffers a lot as he has to travel long distances to get to public hospitals. The peripheral hospitals, which are going to be built in many areas of the city, should be well–equipped, as this will ease the pressure on YCMH. These peripheral hospitals should have doctors, sisters and ward boys which are commensurate with the infrastructure. Almost 80 per cent of the cases can be handled by these peripheral hospitals, and people needing highly specialised care will be able to undergo treatment at YCMH."

Why People Residing In Pimpri Chinchwad Are Suffering
Award
Pradhikaran,Akurdi,Talawade,Chikali,Mohan nagar,Shahu nagar,Shambhaji nagar,Kalbhor nagar 10 proposed hospitals and maternity homes have not been developed So people of these areas have to rush to the existing 6 hospitals

B Ward
Chinchwad,Part of Pimpri,Kivale,Mamurdi, Punavale,Sant Tukaram nagar,Ajmera 13 proposed hospitals and maternity homes have not been developed

C Ward
Bhosari,Nehru Nagar,Dighi,Charoli,Moshi, Dudulgaon,Phugewadi,Dapodi 19 proposed hospitals and maternity homes have not been developed

D Ward
Kalewadi,Thergaon,Wakad,Pimple Nilakh, Jagtap Dairy,Pimple Saudagar,Kate Pimple, Pimple Gurav,Sanghvi,Pimpri Gaon 7 proposed hospitals and maternity homes have not been built