To Be Revamped At A Cost Of 2,094 Crore; Dialysis Centres, Blood Banks On Cards

Pune: Dialysis units at government–run hospitals with 100 beds and above, special blood banks, and trauma care units are some of the long–awaited needs that have featured in the state’s master plan designed to overhaul the public health care infrastructure at a cost of Rs 2,094 crore.

The master plan received the state cabinet’s approval on July 11. It will be executed in a phased manner in the next five years. A health staff of 19,431 personnel will be recruited during this period.

"The master plan proposes to set up dialysis units at all government–run hospitals with 100 beds and above to provide relief to patients suffering from kidney failure. This will bring dialysis, which costs over Rs 1,000 at private hospitals, within the reach of the poor and needy patients," health minister Suresh Shetty told TOI on Friday.

The government also aims to set up 10 blood blanks on the lines of the Mahanagar Blood Bank at Pune, Thane, Nashik, Jalgaon, Ahmednagar, Satara, Parbhani, Amaravati and Chandrapur. "The idea is to provide blood to any patient treated at private or government hospital. Besides, this will help provide free blood to sickle cell, thalassemia, haemophilia patients," Shetty said.

A state government resolution issued in 2002 had categorically stated that blood, blood factor and treatment should be given free to patients of haemophilia and thalessemia. But nothing has moved for the past 10 years. Except for KEM hospital in Mumbai, there is no diagnostic facility in government hospitals to detect haemophilia and provide treatment. This has left an estimated 10,000 haemophiliacs in the state without support, said health experts and activists.

The master plan makes special provision for trauma care units. Total 42 trauma care units will come up on national and state highways. Over 11,000 people die in road accidents in Maharashtra every year. According to a report published by the National Crime Records Bureau, 13,680 people died in road accidents last year.

Road accident is the third major cause of death in the age–group of five to forty–five years. It is also the third leading cause behind physical disabilities and loss of main bread winner of many families.

The trauma care centres will render emergency medical services and will primarily house four departments — emergency, orthopaedic, general unit and neurosurgery department. The operation theaters will be available, 24 hours a day, through out the year.

Strengthening of public health laboratories is also part of the master plan. There are one state, two regional and 28 district laboratories in Maharashtra.

The last master plan was made in 1997 on the basis of Census 1991, while the present plan is based on Census 2001.

The master plan envisages:
t Establishment of 48 new rural hospitals, 151 primary health centres and 881 sub–centres t X–ray and ECG services up to primary health centres t Strengthening of ICUs at hospitals with 100 beds and above t Establishment of 15 new women and neo–natal hospitals t Setting up of 1,257 small and major health care centres in a phased manner, and upgradation of all sub–district and district hospitals