Delay in 504-Bed approval hits patient care at Sassoon Hospital

Pune: Despite being fully operational and serving hundreds of patients daily, the 11-storey building at BJ Medical College and Sassoon General Hospital (BJMC & SGH) in Pune is still awaiting official approval for 504 beds from the state’s Medical Education and Drugs Department (MEDD). According to hospital officials, the delay has severely affected recruitment, procurement of medicines, and the delivery of essential patient services. 

Hospital officials further stated that, following approval by the Medical Education and Drugs Department (MEDD), the file would be forwarded to the state finance department for final clearance.

The building—which houses the paediatric, pulmonary, orthopaedic, and radiology departments—was originally proposed in 2009 following the swine flu epidemic. However, it took over a decade to construct and was hurriedly made operational in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic to accommodate the surge in serious cases.

Dr Eknath Pawar, dean at BJMC & SGH, said, "As of now, we are working at 66% of staff strength at the hospital and medical college. For the hospital's old buildings, we have an approval for 1,296 beds and for that we have an approved staff strength of 3,091," reports TOI.

As per hospital records, of the 2,359 sanctioned posts for Class 1 to 4 employees in the older hospital buildings, only 1,565 have been filled. The remaining 794 vacancies significantly hinder service delivery. Similarly, BJ Medical College has filled only 424 of its 732 sanctioned posts.

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According to TOI, Dr Pawar said, "We had in 2022 sent a proposal seeking approval for 504 beds at the 11-storey building and also the staff required for those beds. We are yet to get a response on it. About the vacancies in the approved posts, we have already issued a tender to fill the class four posts, and in the next two months, 350 workers will be recruited. For class 1 and 2 posts, the recruitment process is underway via the Maharashtra Public Service Commission."

The impact of the staff shortage is evident in the daily struggles faced by patients and their families. Maya Jagtap, whose relative is admitted to the orthopedic ward of the 11-storey building, mentioned that nurses or class IV workers are often unavailable to assist patients in reaching the radiology department for scans. As a result, she said, family members must remain near the building constantly to support their loved ones.

Hasan Mushrif, Minister of Medical Education, stated that he would look into the matter and, if the approval was pending at his level, ensure it was completed within a week. He added that he would immediately follow up on the proposal with the Secretary of the Medical Education and Drugs Department (MEDD).

Dr Sanjay Dabhade, a BJMC alumnus and city-based health activist, criticized the state’s handling of the issue. He pointed out that it took 11 years to complete the construction of the 11-storey building, which was only inaugurated during the COVID-19 pandemic, and now the government is further delaying the approval of beds.

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