The Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) on Saturday alleged that a civic hospital which was treating the people injured in the Malad reservoir wall collapse had discharged them prematurely.
A delegation of the party, led by general secretary Shalini Thackeray, met authorities of the Shatabdi Hospital in Kandivali on Saturday and asked them to re-admit and treat these patients.
The hospital administration, however, dismissed the claim and said the patients were discharged after being treated for over 15 days.
During the intervening night of July 1 and 2, the wall of a reservoir in Malad collapsed, killing 30 people and injuring 94 others. Most of the injured were admitted to Shatabdi Hospital.
“Several victims had approached us with a complaint that they were discharged from the hospital early, even though they did not feel well and needed further medical care. One man had injured his leg severely and was unable to walk, but was discharged,” Ms. Thackeray said.
“We handed over a letter to the dean of Shatabdi Hospital, and asked him to get those patients re-admitted,” she said. “We also asked him to improve the quality of the hospital’s medical care within 15 days so that it can serve the poor better. We plan to take up the issue with the Municipal Commissioner.”
Dean Dr. Pradeep Angre said they have received the letter from the MNS, but denied that the patients were discharged prematurely. “We told [Ms. Thackeray] that all the patients were given every possible treatment and were discharged as their recovery was good,” he said, adding that any patient can visit the hospital for treatment again if he or she wishes to.