Maharashtra bandh: Hospitals in Pune recorded drop in OPD attendance on Wednesday

A fleet of PMPML buses parked near Pune Municipal Corporation. The Maharashtra bandh recorded a drop in OPD attendance on Wednesday. (Express Photo)

The orthopaedic department at Sassoon General Hospital wore a near deserted look on Wednesday as most patients preferred to skip the mandatory check up for disability certificate on account of the Maharashtra Bandh. “Normally, we see at least 100-120 patients in the morning. There were barely 30-40 patients today,” doctors said.

For the few who came in, such as Satish Chaudhary from Jejuri who had come with his visually challenged relative and Dattu Sarawade from Baramati with his cousin, it was a long ride in their private vehicle. “We started at 7 am and rode the two-wheeler for two hours,” Chaudhary said.

Vishwanath Jadhav, who underwent a surgery a fortnight ago for a dislocated shoulder, the check up was mandatory.

Jadhav was accompanied by his sister, Mahananda Pawar. “We stay at Wadgaonsheri and everything was shut. But we decided to take a chance and boarded the Pune Municipal Transport (PMT) bus,” she said.

Rohit Goud, a resident of Mundhwa, was visiting his uncle. “My uncle has been admitted to the hospital and because of the bandh, it has been difficult for my mother to take an autorickshaw to come and attend to him.” Rohit was at the hospital for the entire morning and could not reach his office in Swargate on time.

Dr Ajay Chandanwale, dean, B J Medical College and Sassoon General Hospital, said that overall attendance at the OPD of various departments had reduced considerably as compared to January 2. On Wednesday, the largest government hospital saw 1,481 patients at various departmental OPDs, as against the 2,385 patients on January 2. The in-patient admissions, however, increased. As against the 1,169 persons admitted to the hospital on January 2, a total of 1,219 were admitted on Wednesday. As against the 259 new admissions to the hospital on January 2, the hospital registered 169 on Wednesday. While 65 major operations were conducted on January 2, the doctors could perform only 39 major surgeries.

Meanwhile, Ruby Hall Clinic and Jehangir Hospital, among others, said though the patient flow was slow in morning at the OPD but medical services remained largely unaffected. At KEM Hospital’s Vadu branch, which is just 3 kms away from Bhima Koregaon, services were normal. “Yesterday, too, we treated patients from the area, while cataract surgeries have been scheduled for today,” said Dr SanjayJuvekar, officer-in-charge.