The Mutha river in Pune after discharge of water from the Khadakwasla dam. (Photo: Ashish Kale)Reshma Shyam, a 28-year-old Talegaon resident, who gave birth to a boy on August 3 at Surya hospital in Wakad was not unduly worried when it rained incessantly the next day. “It was only when water started flooding the lower floors of the hospital that I got concerned about the supplies reaching the hospital,” Reshma, who has now been shifted to Aditya Birla hospital, told The Indian Express.
“We were not very scared as hospital authorities at both ends were helpful but there was a bit of panic as we had to reach another hospital,” she said. While Reshma and her newborn were taken in an ambulance, her husband walked through waist-deep water and her mother along with other relatives were ferried in a boat. “It has been an unforgettable experience, specially as this was my first pregnancy,” said Reshma, who will get discharged soon.
Low-lying areas in the city were on alert after water was released into the Mutha river due to incessant rain in the catchment areas of the dams. However, the discharge of water from the Mulshi dam flooded both Surya Mother and Child Care Hospital’s basement and Jupiter hospital on Sunday. Over 170 patients had been evacuated from both hospitals in an operation that lasted the entire day on Sunday.
At Sai Shree hospital in Aundh, Jaswinder Maini is grateful to the swift action taken by Jupiter hospital authorities for shifting his 87-year-old father who had suffered a cardiac arrest. He was on ventilator support at the ICU at Jupiter hospital when water flooded the lower floors and basement. “The authorities had set up their teams and were allaying fear among the patients. My father was shifted in a cardiac ambulance at 3 pm on Sunday,” Maini said. Dr Neeraj Adkar, CEO of the 40-bed Sai Shree hospital, said they had received a call from the Jupiter hospital and admitted two patients, including the 87-year-old man and another woman who had been operated for breast cancer.
At Aditya Birla hospital, CEO Rekha Dubey said they had readily accepted patients from surrounding hospitals due to the flood situation. “So far, 10 patients from Surya Mother and Child Care Hospital and Jupiter hospital have been shifted to Aditya Birla hospital. There were three neonates and one paediatric patient among the lot,” Dubey said. The hospital has also set up a dedicated helpline number 9881123011 for providing prompt and emergency services to the affected patients.
“We had 70 patients and due to the rising water levels they were immediately shifted to safer areas. Our team of doctors is administering all the patients,” said Dr Sachin Shah, director, department of paediatrics, Surya hospital.
Dr Vikas Patil, medical superintendent at Jupiter hospital, said 100 patients were evacuated by Sunday night, of which 40 went home. “The remaining 60 patients have been sent to various hospitals and among critical patients included those who had undergone kidney and liver transplants, babies in the neonatal intensive care unit. They were all shifted in the ambulance with doctors and staff,” Dr Patil said.
