Pune Civic body to revamp 9 civic hospitals to strengthen maternal care
Pune: The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) is planning to upgrade nine civic hospitals to strengthen maternal care services by equipping them with facilities including modular operation theatres, intensive care units and neonatal intensive care units.
The initiative aims to strengthen treatment services and reduce the need to refer patients to private and tertiary-care hospitals. Moreover, to handle the workforce crunch, it will appoint 38 specialist doctors on a contractual basis under its Health Department.
The institutions identified for the upgrade are Late Sanjay Gandhi Hospital (Bopodi), Bharat Ratna Rajiv Gandhi Hospital (Yerawada), Late Shriramrao Yadav Hospital (Aundh), Dr Kashinath Anaji Dhanawade Maternity Home (Balajinagar), Kamla Nehru Hospital (Mangalwar Peth), Rajmata Jijau Maternity Home (Bibwewadi), Jayabai Nanasaheb Sutar Maternity Home (Kothrud), Savitribai Phule Maternity Home (Mundhwa) and Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Maternity Home (Bopodi), reports TOI.
The proposal focuses on establishing proper and accessible maternity services by providing modern labour rooms and women-oriented, easy-to-use infrastructure. The proposal suggests that the facilities should be revamped to include modular OTs supported by modern surgical equipment and proper infection-control measures, modern HVAC systems, well-structured labour rooms, improved facilities for women, and an Advanced Integrated Ward Management System.
Hospital HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) systems are specialised medical safety installations engineered to control infection, maintain sterile environments, and regulate indoor air quality 24/7. The system will be beneficial in adjusting and maintaining the temperature of the critical care ward.
According to Hindustan Times, the PMC will appoint 38 specialist doctors on a contractual basis under its Health Department across seven specialities. According to PMC Additional Municipal Commissioner (General) Pavneet Kaur, the positions include gynaecologists, paediatricians, neonatologists, physicians, intensivists, dermatologists and radiologists.
Dr Suryakant Devkar, assistant health chief of the PMC, stated that the proposed new upgrades will ensure improved quality of specialised and critical care. “The proposed NICU and ICU facilities are expected to be particularly important for patients who require immediate and specialised care. The civic body will appoint as many as 38 specialised doctors on a contract basis for these facilities,” he said.
A 10-bed ICU will be established with critical-care equipment at the late Sanjay Gandhi Hospital in Bopodi, while Kamala Nehru Hospital is more likely to have a 10-bed NICU. The upgraded facility will include 10 neonatal ventilators and 10 CPAP machines for respiratory support of critically ill and premature newborns. The new facility is anticipated to cut down patient referrals and lessen the pressure on tertiary-care hospitals. Additionally, the municipal corporation plans to roll out an Advanced Integrated Ward Management System to improve the efficiency of administrative and clinical operations.
Dr Nina Borade, chief health officer of PMC, told Times of India, “Under the project, each hospital will receive high-tech modular OTs designed to maintain sterile environments through specialised panels, ceiling and flooring systems and advanced ventilation. A modern HVAC system and central medical gas pipeline will further ensure infection control and electrical safety. Labour rooms will be upgraded with smart displays, air-shower facilities and biomedical waste management systems, while women’s wards will have modular partitions and antimicrobial painting.”
