No radiologist at Panvel Hospital, patients suffer

Mumbai: Patients seeking sonography facilities in Mumbai-based Panvel Hospital have to rush to other hospitals as the hospital does not have a radiologist for over five months. In the absence of a radiologist, the patients have to visit Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) run hospitals at Vashi and Nerul. 

Under such circumstances, pregnant women had to undergo hardship if they needed sonography scans. As they can not travel so far, they are forced to spend over Rs 2000 at private radiology centres. 

Roshani Thakur, a 32-year-old resident of New Panvel, is a pregnant woman who was forced to see private radiologists. She works as a cafeteria manager while her husband operates an auto rickshaw. Describing her experiences, she informed Hindustan Times, " I cannot travel to Nerul or Vashi in my condition and hence I have no other option but to go to a private radiologist where I have to pay ₹2,200. In June, I have do my fifth month’s sonography, and I don’t know how much that will cost now. I am consulting the sub-district hospital and I take the tablets provided for free by the government because we cannot afford to buy them always. The lack of radiologists is burning a hole in our pockets."

Tribals and people from rural areas in Panvel Taluka have to rely on the sub-district hospital at Panvel for their treatments. “There are many villages in Panvel Taluka far off from Panvel City and all those patients from the villages visit the sub-district hospital for all their medical needs. And patients who require sonography have to travel further towards NMMC hospitals or succumb to the private centres which are not affordable to all,” said Dr Swapnil Pawar from Kharghar."

In a letter to the State Health Ministry and the Medical Officer of the Panvel Sub District Hospital, Dr Pawar, who also serves as the district vice president for the Congress party, demanded that the position of radiologist be filled as soon as possible. “It’s a state-run hospital and the government not providing a radiologist, is a serious issue which needs to be taken note of. My patients from lower income strata who require sonography for their diagnosis are finding it difficult to get it done,” Dr Pawar added. 

Dr Madhukar Panchal, a medical officer from the sub-district hospital stated that they had a radiologist but he resigned and left a few months ago to pursue his post-graduation studies. "We have informed the state government about the vacancy. An advertisement has been published and soon interviews would be done to fill the post. As of now, we are referring the patients to visit NMMC-run hospitals to get the sonography done," he added. 

Panvel Hospital was established in 2010 to cater to the medical services within the community of Panvel and the peripheral area of the Raigad district. Panvel Hospital is fully equipped with complete modern machinery and well managed by fully experienced and qualified Doctors under the guidance of well-known specialists. The Hospital has sincere and well experienced dedicated to services staff to handle the acute and Emergency case 24*7 for 365 days.